During public comment Aug. 25, residents asked the Stonecrest City Council for more transparency on two development-related items: an ongoing zoning ordinance rewrite and a developer proposal to create access through the Hunters Hill neighborhood. Dave Marcus, who identified his address as 6501 Rockland Road, said the RFP language and signed contract to revise zoning “says rewrite” while the city manager had publicly stated she preferred the term not be used. Marcus told council the discrepancy—contract language indicating a 13-month rewrite while staff described a six-month project—was “unprofessional.” He urged the city to clarify the scope and timeline and to be transparent about the contract’s deliverables.

An emailed public comment from Sofia Jackson, a homeowner in Hunters Hill, said a developer proposal to gain access adjacent to her property would harm property values and safety for residents and asked the council to consider the impact on the neighborhood. “I deeply implore you to consider how this will not only decrease our property values, but also possibly increase crime and the peace of mind we enjoy as residents,” the email said.

City Manager Scruggs responded during her report that zoning rewrites are common in metro areas and that a rewrite can range from a wholesale overhaul to targeted updates; she said the consultant will follow public input and legal compliance. “The public will be very engaged in this process,” she said, adding the consultant’s work may include design standards, parking, signage, grading and tree protection, and that public meetings and surveys will be part of the process. The manager also said staff will brief residents on the contract’s scope, surveys and timeline and that the council previously approved the contract in November 2023 for civil engineering support related to the botanical-garden site.

Council members encouraged residents to attend Transportation, Infrastructure and Parks (TIPS) committee meetings—held typically the second Wednesday after the monthly work session—for background work that precedes council action. The transcript shows no formal council vote on the developer access during the Aug. 25 meeting; the matter was raised as a public concern and will require staff follow-up and committee or future-agenda review.