Roswell approves large mixed-use development 82 homes, 25 townhomes planned

by Jonathan Copsey

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October 15, 2013

ROSWELL, Ga. – Roswell's City Council approved a new mixed-use development to be placed near Centennial High School. The approval came in a 5-0 vote during their Oct. 14 meeting. Councilmember Rich Dippolito recused himself from the discussion.

The development features 82 single-family homes and 25 townhomes with 17,500 square feet of retail space at the corner of Holcomb Bridge Road and Scott Road. It is a density of 3.9 units per acre on just shy of 28 acres of land.

It is currently unused woodland.

In 2006, the property was approved for a similar mixed-use development that never got off the ground. It contained nearly 160,000 square feet of retail and office use along with 167 residential units.

"This development is practically and substantially less than what was approved [in 2006]," said Don Rolader, attorney for John Wieland homes, the developer.

With more than 100 homes planned to be built across from two schools and along the city's busiest road, city staff decided the applicant should help pay for intersection and road improvements nearby to help with traffic.

In addition to the development, 10,000 square feet of land near the intersection of Holcomb Bridge and Eves roads will be set aside in anticipation for some form of pedestrian crossing across Holcomb Bridge Road. The city has yet to develop plans for any such structure, and staff said it could be more than 10 years before any project is begun.

Also at the meeting:

The city signed a contract with the Center for Priority-Based Budgeting in a 5-1 vote, with Councilmember Betty Price opposed.

Similar to zero-based budgeting, priority-based budgeting, said Budget Manager Ryan Luckett, seeks to "align city services and programs" with council priorities.

The Denver-based consulting group would send representatives out from their headquarters to train city staffers on how to implement the policies. They would look at all city programs and services by not only asking why the city offers such programs, but also providing a benchmark to compare programs against.

"It allows for comparison of programs across departments," Luckett said. "While that might be challenging in the past to compare the fire department to community development, you can now compare them on an equal playing field."

The contract will cost the city $35,500 plus expenses of the consultants. The money comes out of a budgeted account for city consultants.