Alpharetta council defers Fulton Science Academy plan, asks for stricter traffic and safety review

The Alpharetta City Council on Feb. 24 voted 5–1 to defer a master plan amendment and conditional‑use request from Fulton Science Academy to reuse an existing two‑story office building at 8995 Westside Parkway as a pre‑K through elementary campus serving up to 600 students, returning the item to council on March 24 for further review.

The council’s action followed more than two hours of presentation and questions about stacking, parent drop‑off/pick‑up procedures, pedestrian safety, emergency access and the adequacy of the applicant’s traffic study. Council members repeatedly pressed for a detailed, enforceable traffic and circulation plan and asked city staff to ensure the fire marshal and city traffic engineer are present at the next hearing.

City planning staff described the project as a reuse of an approximately 53,000‑square‑foot office building in the Northpointe overlay and said the applicant proposed a phased conversion: initial occupancy of the first floor for…