Johns Creek City Council Work Session - November 17, 2025

The Johns Creek City Council held a work session on November 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM to discuss the 2026 meeting calendar, special events, retreat location, and several council initiatives including vertiports, a recreation center feasibility study, and e-bike regulations. The meeting also included an executive session for land and legal matters before adjournment.

Consent Calendar

• None of the routine business items (Autrey Mill Agreement Renewal and FY25 Budget Amendment #9) were discussed during the work session; they were listed on the agenda but not brought forward for a vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the meeting.

Discussion Items

2026 Meeting Calendar

• Council discussed and agreed to several changes: move the January meeting from January 5 to January 12; move the March meeting from March 9 to March 2; and add a meeting on June 15, likely as a mini-retreat. The calendar will be adopted by the end of the year, and the changes were approved for placement on the consent agenda for the next regular meeting.
• Councilmember Coughlin requested the June 15 date to avoid a six-week gap between meetings. Councilmember Skinner suggested the June 15 meeting could serve as a budget workshop, but the city manager advised that department head presentations would need to occur earlier (March–April) to inform the mayor's budget presentation in July. Council agreed to discuss the budget process further at the January retreat.
• A proposal to move meetings from Monday to Tuesday was discussed but did not gain consensus; most members preferred Monday.

Special Events for 2026

• Director of Parks and Recreation Erica Matson presented the slate of events, including returning favorites and proposed changes. Key items:
  • Moving the Easter Bunny Hop back to the boardwalk (upper pond area expected to be complete).
  • Independence Day celebration location: Council preferred to separate the boardwalk grand opening (targeted for early July) from the America 250 celebration. Councilmember Dilip expressed support for separate events; Councilmember Coughlin agreed.
  • Arts Festival: Reenvisioned to include performing and visual arts, with potential to combine with the Literary Fair. Councilmember Skinner supported exploring that combination.
  • Diwali: Proposed to move to the boardwalk as a late-afternoon/early-evening event with a static light walk. Councilmember Skinner raised parking concerns, but staff noted several hundred spaces available (including 200 from a nearby building). Councilmember Elwood preferred evening timing for fireworks/drone shows, but staff noted budget constraints.
  • FIFA World Cup 2026: Councilmember Larry suggested exploring a public viewing event at Cauley Creek Park. Council agreed to have staff explore the idea further, with consensus to approve the full year's events and allow adjustments later if needed.
• Overall, council gave direction to proceed with the calendar as presented, with the boardwalk grand opening separate from Independence Day, and to continue discussions on Diwali timing and potential FIFA events.

January 2026 Retreat Location

• City Manager Kimberly Greer presented three local options: Lake Lanier, Evergreen at Stone Mountain, and Château Élan. Council expressed preference for Lake Lanier or Château Élan, with Stone Mountain less favored. Council agreed to prioritize cost-effectiveness and local options.
• Council discussed retreat format: most favored a day-and-a-half retreat (Saturday full day, Sunday half-day) rather than a full weekend, with the option for overnight stays but not required.
• Councilmember Skinner requested that the retreat be recorded for public access. Most members were indifferent, but the city manager noted that recording might hinder free-flowing brainstorming. Council did not reach a firm consensus on recording; the matter will be revisited.
• Council agreed to have staff finalize logistics and prepare a draft agenda for the retreat, which will include discussion of the budget process, CIP priorities, and other strategic items.

Vertiports

• Councilmember Coughlin introduced a proposal to allow public works to explore advanced air mobility (AAM) and vertiport ordinances. He noted that Roswell and Alpharetta are already ahead in this area, and that the FAA is developing regulations. Councilmember Dilip added that financial incentives exist and that private sector involvement is possible.
• Council unanimously supported directing staff to investigate vertiport potential, including reviewing FAA and state frameworks, coordinating with neighboring cities, and bringing back recommendations. Councilmember Skinner suggested waiting until the retreat to assess staff bandwidth, but the majority agreed to proceed immediately.

Recreation Center Feasibility Study and Needs Assessment

• Councilmember Coughlin proposed a feasibility study for a community recreation center. Council expressed strong support for exploring the concept, with several members noting resident demand. Councilmember Larry tied the discussion to youth sports and facility management.
• City Manager Greer cautioned that the project requires many council decisions on scope, location, and funding before any community polling. She committed to providing initial information at the January retreat, but noted that hiring a consultant for a statistically valid survey would be a later step.
• Council agreed to direct staff to develop a preliminary analysis for the retreat, without committing to a consultant at this stage.

E-Bike Regulations

• Councilmember Skinner raised safety concerns about children riding e-bikes illegally on roads and sidewalks. She requested prioritizing regulation and education. Councilmember Dilip noted that some e-bikes are essentially motorcycles. Councilmember Larry questioned enforceability, especially for minors.
• Staff confirmed that work is already underway as part of the multimodal ordinance update, and that the police department is involved in education. Council agreed to move forward with an education campaign and consider ordinance updates, with staff to report back on feasible enforcement mechanisms.

Key Outcomes

• 2026 Meeting Calendar: Approved changes (January 12, March 2, added June 15) to be placed on consent agenda for next regular meeting.
• Special Events: Approved the 2026 event calendar with direction to separate the boardwalk grand opening from Independence Day, explore FIFA viewing events, and consider combining the Literary Fair with the Arts Festival. Staff will continue planning.
• Retreat: Directed staff to finalize a local, cost-effective location (Lake Lanier or Château Élan) for a Saturday full-day and Sunday half-day retreat on January 30–February 1, 2026. Recording not yet decided.
• Vertiports: Unanimous consensus to direct staff to explore regulations and coordinate with other cities; report back to council.
• Recreation Center: Directed staff to prepare a preliminary needs assessment and feasibility overview for the January retreat.
• E-Bike Regulations: Directed staff to prioritize an education campaign and ordinance updates, with enforcement considerations, to be integrated with the multimodal policy update.
• Executive Session: Council moved into executive session to discuss one land and two legal matters, then adjourned the meeting.