Alpharetta commission signals support to pursue listing Bailey Johnson School as contributing property

Alpharetta — Members of the Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission expressed unanimous support April 17 for staff to pursue adding the Bailey Johnson School to the city’s contributing historic structures inventory, and asked staff to prepare the ordinance amendment and public‑hearing steps needed to proceed.

Commission discussion and rationale Commissioners said the Bailey Johnson School recently turned 75 years old, meeting the age threshold the commission uses to consider contributing status. Michael Woodman, city staff, explained the steps staff would take if the commission agreed: find a City Council member to sponsor a text amendment to the Unified Development Code, hold a Community Zoning Information Meeting (CZIM), take a recommendation from this commission, and then forward the matter to City Council for final action.

Woodman said the property, located on Kimball Bridge Road (staff cited 154 Kimball Bridge Road as a likely address), has historical significance: it was associated with the first African‑American school in the area during segregation and has an active alumni group that has pressed for preservation. "The history on the property is that it was the first African American school during the days of segregation," Woodman said.

Why it matters: Commission members said they want to ensure the school building is protected from demolition or unsympathetic alteration given its cultural and community significance. Because the contributing list was created before the school reached 75 years of age, it was not previously included.

Process and next steps Woodman said staff will prepare the necessary text amendment and seek a council sponsor; if a sponsor is found, staff will schedule public outreach (CZIM) and bring the item to the commission for recommendation before sending it to City Council. Commissioners signaled majority support on the record for staff to move forward; Woodman said staff will return with proposed next steps.

Questions about the gymnasium Commissioners also discussed the property's gymnasium. Woodman said the developer provided an inspection showing significant structural issues with the gym; city building officials concurred, and City Council allowed removal of the gymnasium on the condition that a similar building be constructed in its place. Staff said that specific approval applied to the gymnasium, not to the school building itself.

No formal vote was taken; staff will return with next steps and with whatever Council sponsorship is secured.