Sandy Springs officials approved three new subdivisions unanimously at the May 19 city council meeting, signaling support for new housing stock in one of metro Atlanta’s wealthiest suburbs.
Despite some opposition from neighbors surrounding, the council’s unanimous approval allows the eventual construction of 26 new single-family homes across the city, where just seven used to stand.
Sandy Springs homeowners back subdivison
The largest of the three approved subdivisions is at the Dunwoody-Sandy Springs border and includes five residential lots along Spalding Drive northeast of Pitts Road.
The rezoning at Spalding and Pitts allows a 21-home subdivision by shifting the minimum lot size from 1 acre (RE-1) to 9,000 square feet (RD-9). Despite initial upheaval by surrounding neighborhoods, no one spoke in opposition to The Providence Group’s rezoning request at the May 19 public hearing.
The city’s planning department cited increased demand for single-unit detached housing in Sandy Springs outpacing production.
Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods President Ronda Smith and Spalding Springs resident Melinda Cobb spoke favorably about the developer and the decision to move the entrance to Pitts Road. Both stressed the need to alleviate traffic congestion along Spalding Drive on the east side of State Route 400.
At the request of neighbors, elected officials added two conditions to the rezoning. They require the developer to construct the turn lanes at the subdivision entrance before building homes and HOA-maintained buffer areas.
Perspectives on rezonings
Council Member John Paulson said he first heard from neighbors about the projects weeks ago, and their work is a “study in civic engagement” and “trying to resolve concerns and obstacles.”
“They got smart quick,” Paulson said. “This is how it’s supposed to work.”
Related story:
• Sandy Springs Planning Commission recommends 21-home subdivision along Dunwoody border
While a rezoning of 5800 Mitchell Road and an adjacent parcel to allow two new homes on 1.3 acres received no opposition at the public hearing, three homeowners near 5680 Whitner Drive spoke in opposition to its rezoning.
The neighbors’ concerns included setting a precedent about neighborhood density, stormwater runoff and construction impacts, tree canopy loss, pedestrian safety, and loss of property values.
The applicant argued that almost all surrounding parcels, including some of the properties owned by neighbors in opposition, are zoned RD-27 south of Mount Vernon Highway. The rezoning also requires a driveway that faces Whitner Drive and does not interfere with Mount Vernon Highway.
Officials prefer mild density increase
Council Member Andrew Chinsky, representing Whitner Drive in District 6, said he thinks housing will be a top issue in Sandy Springs during the comprehensive plan process.
“I don’t think that the addition of net two homes facing Whitner is going to materially change the traffic situation, especially since we’re requiring the one closest to Mount Vernon to have the driveways as far from Mount Vernon as possible,” Chinsky said. “However, I would ask public works to take a look at this intersection.”
Chinsky said he wants a strategy or rubric for evaluating future rezonings.
“These are not flag lots; these are not adding something like town homes or multifamily to the neighborhood,” Chinsky said. “Some comments were suggesting we do two lots instead of three, but if we do that, at that point the price of the home is going to be $3-$4 million, and make it really hard for a new family to be able to afford to move into the area.”
Permitable Owner Chris Protos, representing one of the developers, said he is from the city of Sandy Springs, but doesn’t live there now with his family because of its housing costs.
“We are making sure, as others have said tonight, that we have affordable housing for families in Sandy Springs,” Protos said. “Modest infill housing like this, a split from one into two lots, helps achieve that goal for a family while maintaining the character of the neighborhood.”
