Mayor Robisho, Councilmember Sells outline economic focus of Roswell’s Comprehensive Plan 2045

Mayor Mary Robisho and Councilmember Allen Sells used the Inside Roswell podcast to preview the city’s Comprehensive Plan 2045, describing it as a long-range strategy to guide how Roswell grows and preserves community character.

"This plan is really about the future of Roswell," Mayor Mary Robisho said, framing the update as a 20-year vision for transportation, development and quality of life. Councilmember Allen Sells, chair of the stakeholder committee working on the plan, said the update emphasizes economic development and targeted redevelopment of five activity centers.

Sells told listeners the plan is intended to signal to the development community “here’s what we as a city want to see happen over the next 20 years,” and he said it is a periodic requirement the city submits to state reviewers roughly every 10 years. He stressed the comprehensive plan is a strategic blueprint, not an immediate change to zoning: "When it comes down to a particular piece of property, we as mayor and council have to look at the wishes of the residents and the facts on the ground and then proceed from there," Sells said.

A central constraint the speakers raised is the limited commercial land in Roswell. Sells said commercial property accounts for about 14–15% of the city’s land area, which means opportunities for redevelopment are concentrated: "I call them rifle shots," he said, describing a strategy of focusing on a small number of key parcels that can become catalysts for broader economic revitalization.

Sells and Robisho described the outreach process that informed the plan: a stakeholder committee, consultant-led meetings with KB Advisors, public surveys, and community workshops where residents could place sticky-note feedback on plan depictions. From that outreach, they said one recurring theme was concern that Roswell’s economic competitiveness is lagging and that catalytic projects will take years to move from concept to construction.

The officials said the plan seeks to balance new activity and mixed-use development with transition areas that protect adjacent residential neighborhoods. Sells noted the city lacks greenfield sites and therefore must be deliberate about design and scale so redevelopment still 'feels like Roswell' rather than a different urban model.

On tools the city may use to influence redevelopment, Sells mentioned mechanisms such as the public financing authority and a tax allocation district as ways to "have a seat at the table" with developers, while acknowledging those tools require careful application and do not guarantee outcomes.

Both officials urged residents to stay involved: vote, attend meetings, volunteer for commissions or committees, and participate in upcoming outreach sessions. "If you want to be involved, there's lots and lots" of opportunities, Robisho said, underscoring that the plan will be shaped by continued public input.

The councilmember reiterated that the comprehensive plan can be amended by the mayor and council over time and should be treated as a strategy residents can expect officials to follow. The podcast closed with a reminder that the plan aims to prepare Roswell for future change while protecting the character and quality of life that residents value.

The city is continuing outreach on the Comprehensive Plan 2045; specific next steps and submission deadlines to state reviewers were not specified in the episode.