Sandy Springs Together

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Sandy Springs: LEARN from D.C. on the importance of smart revitalization

Are YOU coming?  We hope so…

On November 7th at 6:00 p.m., Sandy Springs Together is hosting a Community Meeting to discuss the lessons learned from the Atlanta BeltLine, and we really hope to see you there.

One thing is clear: We, as a city, can do a better job of anticipating the OBVIOUS consequences posed by the proposed amenities that our city is implementing, such as the Master Trail System, the community center, access to the river, among others.

For example, let’s take a look at the Bridge Park in Washington D.C.

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Sandy Springs must be innovative, but smart when tackling the affordable housing crisis

For many years now, the city of Sandy Springs has made it a point to say that revitalization in our city is not about gentrification, or even displacement. 

And yet — that is exactly what is happening. Recently, the city council approved the Trail Master Plan, which is comparable to the Atlanta BeltLine. And to be clear, we are in favor of the trails and know that they will enhance our community.

However, we know that the BeltLine made clear mistakes, as was acknowledged by the Mayor in the kickoff meeting for the city’s North End Revitalization Task Force.

At Sandy Springs Together, we feel it’s necessary to educate our community  about the mistakes that have been made — and that Sandy Springs is about to make, as well.

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What can Sandy Springs learn from Atlanta’s BeltLine?

We have an exciting invitation to share with you. 

On Thursday evening, November 7, we will host the most important public meeting so far in the life of our organization.

From 7 to 9 pm, we will talk seriously about skyrocketing housing costs, traffic congestion and how future development impacts affordable housing.

Our special guests will be Dwayne Vaughn, Beltline Inc. and David Jackson, Beltline Partnership. 

The discussion will be moderated by Bill Bolling, founder of the Atlanta Regional Housing Forum and a member of the Board of Directors of The Author M. Blank Foundation.

  • What can Sandy Springs learn from Atlanta’s Beltline?
  • Thursday, November 7
  • 7-9 PM
  • Sandy Springs United Methodist Church
  • 86 Mount Vernon Hwy.
  • Atlanta, GA 30328
  • SandySpringsTogether.org/RSVP

Sandy Springs is investing in redevelopment by building green space and walking trails and other much needed projects.  

How do we add all of these improvements while REDUCING TRAFFIC and making sure our families, including young families and seniors, will still be able to afford to live here?

We MUST ACT NOW and learn from others who have faced these challenges.

Please join us for this important conversation: SandySpringsTogether.org/RSVP

IMPORTANT: Save yourself a seat by registering in advance, and receive a chance to win one of several $50 gift certificates! Must be present to win. SandySpringsTogether.org/RSVP

Enterprise Community Partners Southeast announces support of Sandy Springs Together

Sandy Springs Together is excited to announce that on July 25, 2019, we received an official letter of support from Enterprise Community Partners Southeast.

Read the Letter: ECPS Support Letter of Sandy Springs TogetherDownload

On their website, ECPS lays out their goal to “bring together nationwide know-how, partners, policy leadership and investment to multiply the impact of local affordable housing development.”

For more than 35 years, ECPS has been working toward a vision where “one day, every person will have an affordable home in a vibrant community, filled with promise and the opportunity for a good life.”

In their letter of support, ECPS lays out the challenges presented by the ongoing affordable housing crisis. “These housing cost increases create burdens on working families, making their ability to afford other basic needs such as food, medical, and education more and more challenging.”

They go on to say that affordable housing “is a regional problem and it must be addressed with a regional solution. Sandy Springs Together may be a model others want to explore.”

We are excited to have our friends at ECPS standing with us as we work toward the future. The best is yet to come for our community.

The challenges of housing affordability and where we go from here

What does it mean to address the challenges of housing affordability?

Well, to start, we will need to learn from other cities, such as Brookhaven, where the City Council passed an inclusionary zoning code mandate last fall, which includes special restrictions on redevelopment, to account for the necessity of affordable housing.

The zoning codes require that “when a special land use permit or rezoning is approved anywhere in the city for a multi-unit residential housing project, then 10 percent of the residential units must be defined as workforce housing.

Residential housing projects include new construction, rehabilitation of a current apartment building or converting apartments to condominiums and can be built out in phases. The inclusionary zoning was first sought just along Buford Highway, but the Planning Commission asked the City Council to consider it citywide.” Brookhaven pioneers an affordable housing requirement

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Say YES to future residential development

Editor’s Note: Sandy Springs Together periodically publishes letters or comments from community members who raise a concern we feel should be considered by the broader community. 

Please let us hear your thoughts. 

BY MARY BARON

If I told you that a new residential development is coming to Sandy Springs, I bet some of you would quickly think, “We have too many people here already and traffic will just get worse!”

But let’s be honest. We can’t bury our heads in the sand and ignore the inevitable — Sandy Springs is growing. Development is on it’s way.

The question to ask ourselves in the face of this growth is whether we will  continue with the same development plans that have caused our traffic congestion or are we willing to look to new and creative solutions to alleviate it.

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