Council advances 2045 comprehensive growth plan after extensive public comment; motion restores 2040 residential language with staff edits

Michelle Alexander, director of community development, presented the draft 2045 Comprehensive Growth Plan, describing five activity centers (Holcomb Bridge/Georgia 400, downtown, Uptown, East Roswell and Midtown), an emphasis on economic development and a net increase of 336 acres classified as residential character area. She explained the plan must be transmitted to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for review and noted several cleanup edits staff recommended (adding RS-12 to Holcomb Bridge Road/GA-400 activity center, correcting text boxes and tables, and changing wording from "subdivisions" to "neighborhoods").

The public comment period included 17 speakers. Many residents urged restoring the neighborhood-protection language from the 2040 plan, asking for clearer definitions of "missing middle" and other housing terms and parcel-level clarity on activity-center boundaries. Jennifer Donlon and others asked the council to "invite conversation instead of division," while several speakers questioned last-minute map changes that they said affected parcels adjacent to established neighborhoods. Councilmembers discussed process and transparency; Councilmember Sells offered a motion to transmit the draft that incorporated the 2040 residential language, plus staff corrections. The motion, amended to remove certain wording (strike "preferred use") and with other changes, passed 5–1.

Council and staff emphasized that the transmittal does not change zoning immediately: the plan provides a framework to guide future zoning and requires rezoning or site-specific approvals before land-use changes occur. Mayor Robichaux also reminded the public the plan is a guiding document and that more technical definitions (for example, missing middle) will be finalized through a housing study and future implementation steps.