Sandy Springs residents and business owners will get two chances in August to weigh in on the policies that will govern land use, zoning, and economic development along Roswell Road, Perimeter Center, and the GA-400 corridor for the next two decades.

The city announced two identical public workshops for its Comprehensive Plan and Recreation & Parks Master Plan, branded "The Next Chapter":

  • Monday, August 17, 2026, 6–8 p.m., Church of the Redeemer, 5185 Peachtree Dunwoody Road
  • Thursday, August 20, 2026, 6–8 p.m., Sandy Springs Municipal Complex, 620 Morgan Falls Road

Both sessions will feature the same presentation and interactive activities covering land use, transportation, housing, economic development, parks, and sustainability, according to the city's announcement posted July 26. The Church of the Redeemer location has a playground, and parents are encouraged to bring children.

Both sessions are free.

An online engagement hub at PlanTheNextChapter.org is also live. Materials from each workshop will be posted there for anyone who cannot attend in person.

Why it matters for business

The Comprehensive Plan is the city's primary policy document. While not legally binding, it is routinely cited in zoning decisions by city boards, staff, and council members, according to Rough Draft Atlanta's reporting on the process. Since 2017, Sandy Springs has protected nearly 75% of its land within residential neighborhoods or parks and directed growth along commercial corridors including Roswell Road and areas surrounding MARTA stations.

For business owners on those corridors, the plan will shape what gets built, where density is allowed, and how development incentives are prioritized through the mid-2040s.

$1.14 million process, 12-month timeline

In March, the City Council approved a $1.14 million contract with consulting firms Rhodeside & Harwell and TSW to lead the effort. Sukirti Ghosh, a principal and urban designer with Rhodeside & Harwell, said at the June 23 kickoff meeting that the first six months are devoted to community engagement, with plan drafting beginning in early 2027 and state submission expected by June 2027.

More than 50 residents attended that first workshop at City Springs. Participants described Sandy Springs with words like "vibrant," "congested," and "expensive." Top priorities for change included affordable family housing, traffic, and walkability, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.

Planning & Zoning Manager Michelle McIntosh-Ross noted at the June 23 meeting that traffic is consistently the most common concern raised in comprehensive plan processes.

Councilman Andrew Chinsky tied the planning effort directly to transportation in a June 26 City Council discussion of the draft Transportation Master Plan.

"Traffic planning and transportation planning has to go hand-in-hand with that, or else traffic is going to be very bad," Chinsky said at the June 26 meeting. "But when done right, it can reduce traffic and create a nice walkable downtown area where people are living here."

Sandy Springs' population of roughly 105,000 has declined over the past five years, though regional forecasts project growth to approximately 118,000 by 2050. The city is home to about 132,000 jobs, but only 6% are held by Sandy Springs residents, according to a Modern Mobility Partners study.

The August workshops are the second round of public input. The plan draft is expected in early 2027, with adoption hearings to follow before state submission in June 2027.