Council authorizes Roswell Development Authority to enter negotiations for Bowen Road parcel; residents ask to be included

The City of Roswell Mayor and City Council on Sept. 22 approved a resolution authorizing the Roswell Development Authority (RDA) to enter negotiations on a city-owned property at Bowen Road and Highway 92, with council setting a floor sales price of no less than $5,000,000. The motion passed unanimously, 6-0.

Why it matters: the property borders a residential community (the Orchards of Roswell) and residents told council they want ongoing notice and input as negotiations proceed. Council members and staff said any negotiated agreement would return to council for approval before a final sale or development contract is executed.

Residents who spoke urged the council to consider privacy, security, lighting and noise impacts in any eventual development plan. Jane Melton, president of the Orchards of Roswell board, described the neighborhood as a 55-plus community that directly abuts the parcel and asked to be included “in the discussion loop.” James Johnson, also an Orchards board member, said 16 homes face the L-shaped boundary with the parcel and that the development will “have a tremendous impact on the livability of our community.”

City staff and council responses: Assistant City Attorney Joe Cusack cautioned that specific negotiation details for real estate transactions are confidential until a transaction becomes public and said that practice is consistent with standard real-estate negotiation protocols. Council members emphasized that negotiations will be handled by the RDA and any final terms would come back to the mayor and council for public consideration.

Courtney Rozier said she reviewed an earlier December resolution that included use limitations — listing youth sports, performance training, outdoor recreation, and a restaurant (no drive-through) in a sale-and-purchase agreement — and asked why the current authorization did not include the same listed limitations. Council members and staff said the resolution on the Sept. 22 agenda was a narrower authorization to permit the RDA to enter negotiations; specific development restrictions or terms, if desired, would be addressed in the sale or in future council action.

Council clarifications: Council Member Will Morkland (as introduced at the start of the meeting) moved the resolution, Council Member David Johnson seconded, and the record shows a 6-0 unanimous vote. Council Member William Morkland requested that typographical inconsistencies in the draft resolution be corrected so any reference to $4,500,000 be $5,000,000; council made that correction before the vote.

Next steps: the RDA will negotiate in private per standard practice and will present any eventual agreement to the mayor and council for public review and vote. Residents asked to be kept informed during negotiations and to receive notice when specific development proposals are prepared for council consideration.