City Hosts Open House for Comp Plan 2030

Watch the video commentary below.

Planners and staff members for Johns Creek presented residents with proposed comprehensive land use planning in an open house held at city hall on Thursday, April 24.

Around 90 Johns Creekers turned out to view comprehensive maps and proposed visions for the city that include green space and transportation plans.

"It is important to have community input because this is our first chance to have a comp plan in place, and it is great to know what the people of the community want our city to look like,” said Tim Jennette, a member of the Johns Creek Planning Commission.

Jennette pointed out that comprehensive plan maps will be used as a blue print for future zoning cases.

“As new zoning applications come before us, we are going to compare them to a 2030 plan and see if the plan is consistent,” said Jennette.

Committees and sub-committees made up of citizens have worked since November 2007 to develop a comprehensive plan for Johns Creek, and at the April 24 open house those plans were on display.

Large maps of the city depicting population projections, green space, transportation issues and areas heavily dense in residential and commercial population were on display.

Green space and transportation maps drew the largest viewers, during the evening session.

"The information has been compiled and put together as a digital display,” said Dave Kornbluh, a Johns Creek resident and member of the of the city's Green Plan committee.

"It is open to all of us to absorb it and figure out where we go from here," Kornbluh said.

Some citizens took the opportunity to present alternative plans during the open house.

For months, since the comprehensive planning process last year, citizens have discussed straightening a curve on Abbotts Bridge Road many consider to be a danger.

Residents in surrounding neighborhoods are concerned that the environmental impact of road construction will be a big negative for the city's future. During the open house, citizens from the Abbotts Bridge community handed out a booklet providing information into an alternative “Curve Preserve” to preserve 65 feet of forest and wetland on the road.

"Saving the Abbotts Run Preserve can help sustain our quality of life, raise our deplorable ratio of park acres to people, and set aside an important part of our natural heritage for posterity,” said creators of the booklet.

No final decision on any material presented at the open house will be made until next fall.

Comments and data submitted at this community meeting will be compiled by consultants with the Pond Company.

"We have a lot of work in front of us," said Michele Beeston, a consultant hired by the city.

A final comprehensive plan will not be submitted to the state until November. The city anticipates a draft document by September 2008.

"This has been a long process that has called for a lot of volunteers from committee members to the general public,” said City Manager John Kachmar. “Nothing will be final for several months.”

The information presented at the open house will be reviewed, and a short-term five-year plan will be the next step, before a 30-year plan is developed.

Citizens will have the opportunity to provide the city additional feedback on the comprehensive planning proposal.