Firefighters assume their posts
The new Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Department has moved into its fire stations and has begun providing services to the City. The firefighters met on the morning of Dec. 29 at City Hall and departed with their trucks and equipment to their respective fire stations. There was no interruption of fire and rescue services to the City during the changeover. The fire stations are at 1425 Spalding Drive (Station 1), 139 Johnson Ferry Road (Station 2), 6025 Heard’s Road (Station 3) and 4697 Wieuca Road (Station 4). Sandy Springs owns the property for the first two stations. The City is leasing Station 3 from Fulton County and Station 4 from Atlanta. The Sandy Springs City Council commissioned the Fire Department on Dec. 19.
For more information on the Sandy Springs Fire Department, click here.
Meeting to explain tree ordinance
A public meeting on Jan. 11 will give citizens an opportunity to ask questions about the City’s proposed tree ordinance. There will be a presentation on how the ordinance works, the minimum requirements for land disturbance permits, the definition of specimen trees, the variance process, problems typically encountered on sites and enforcement. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
City buys parkland, fire stations
The City of Sandy Springs completed its purchase of parkland and two fire stations from Fulton County on Dec. 8. The City took ownership of 12 parks through a $16,000 donation from the Sandy Springs Society. Schulten Ward & Turner’s pro bono legal work enabled the City to close the deal. Fulton County Commissioners Robb Pitts and Tom Lowe were also instrumental in making the purchase possible. The two fire stations -- 39 Johnson Ferry Road and 1425 Spalding Drive – cost Sandy Springs $5,000 each.
Click here for more information, including a list of the 12 parks.
EMS kickoff on Jan. 18
This month, Sandy Springs is kicking off its state-of-the-art Emergency Medical Service (EMS) program, which provides quick first-response for medical emergencies. The inaugural event will be at 2 p.m. on Jan. 18 at the Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex’s Main Dining Hall, 6500 Vernon Woods Drive. City dignitaries will be on hand during the kickoff to discuss the program’s importance and answer questions.
The Fire Rescue Department is working with physicians from Emory Hospital to provide a comprehensive community-wide program for the treatment of sudden cardiac death. Click here for more.
Newell Rubbermaid helps fight litter
The City received two shipments last month of new trash receptacles from Newell Rubbermaid Inc. to help in the fight against litter. The Sandy Springs-based Fortune 500 corporation donated 140 receptacles valued at more than $800 each. All feature the City logo. The new receptacles will be at MARTA bus stops and other busy areas in the central business district and along the Roswell Road corridor.
Read the full release here.
Freezing overspray a hazard
Freezing nights and mornings can turn irrigation overspray into dangerous ice hazards for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. As the weather cools, the City of Sandy Springs has received many phone calls asking for the best ways to prepare irrigation systems for homes and businesses during freezing weather. Most irrigation systems need to be shut off, blown out and safely winterized by licensed professionals. Until that happens, freezing nights and mornings can turn irrigation overspray into ice hazards. Shutting off systems can also save much water and money as plant water needs drop with the cold weather.
Read more here.
Right of way gets facelift
Keep Sandy Springs/North Fulton Beautiful developed plans and hired Piedmont Landscape to beautify the northeast corner of the intersection of Roswell Road and I-285, where thousands of motorists pass daily. During December, the landscapers leveled, sodded and planted more than 700 daffodil bulbs, several trees, greenery, shrubs and flowers. The City provided funding and will maintain the improved right of way.
Click here for the complete release.
City Council Meetings
The Sandy Springs City Council has canceled its Jan. 2 regular session because of its nearness to the New Year’s holiday. The Council will hold a work session at 6 p.m. on Jan. 9 in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500. A regular meeting will follow the next week, at 7 p.m. on Jan. 16. During that meeting, there will be a public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan Community Assessment.
For the Sandy Springs online calendar, click here.
Greenway project meeting scheduled
Citizens and stakeholders interested in the Sandy Springs Abernathy Greenway Improvement Project are invited to attend a public fact-finding meeting hosted by the project consultant, PBS & J. The meeting will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Jan. 16 at Sandy Springs City Hall. The goal of the proposed project is to provide congestion relief on Abernathy Road by widening the roadway (GDOT project) while improving the aesthetics of the corridor. The meeting is open to the public. The City will solicit questions and input. Two meetings will follow in February and March.