Johns Creek City Council Meeting – August 24, 2026

The Johns Creek City Council met at 11360 Lakefield Drive in Johns Creek, Georgia, on Monday, August 24, 2026. The agenda listed a 7:00 p.m. start; the transcript records the call to order at 7:12 p.m. All six council members were present, establishing a quorum. The council approved prior meeting minutes, the meeting agenda, a three-item consent agenda, and a new roadway landscaping and tree replanting policy. Stormwater drainage, erosion, flooding, and lake conditions dominated public comment.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the August 10, 2026 work session summary and council meeting minutes.
• Approved the meeting agenda as presented.
• Approved the consent agenda, which included: (1) the Multi-Modal Policy; (2) a contract with Michael Baker International, Inc. for $2,467,671 for the Old Alabama Bridge Replacement Project; and (3) a contract amendment with Thomas & Hutton for Chattahoochee Greenway Engineering. Agenda materials listed the Thomas & Hutton amount as $616,000, while the mayor orally stated $116,000.
• During discussion, Councilmember Coughlin said the consent items support quality of life through intra-city mobility, TSPLOST-funded bridge safety, and the greenway's value to the parks system; Councilmember Tunkey agreed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Robert Simon (Seven Oaks resident) described severe stormwater runoff and creek erosion, presented a petition of 75 resident names, said at least 140 properties are directly affected, noted that homeowners have spent thousands of dollars on gabion walls, riprap, and drainage that push water downstream, and asked the city to make stormwater remediation a continuing, funded priority.
• Sophie Lee (Seven Oaks resident) said her basement flooded in early July while her family was on vacation, that the flooding was directly triggered by the city's stormwater project, and that she faces more than $55,000 in mitigation and restoration costs plus damaged personal property. She asked council members to imagine the impact on their own homes and families.
• Jean Veenman (Seven Oaks resident), continuing Sophie Lee's comments, said the city's insurance denied the claim based on the allegation that the drainage pipe was an illicit connection to the city line. She asked the city to help reach a fair resolution and to explore creating a stormwater assistance fund or reopening the stormwater emergency grant program. She also raised concerns about undocumented connections and project quality in Seven Oaks.
• Salem Aziz (Medlock Bridge resident) said the subdivision lake is deteriorating because construction debris and waste from outside the subdivision are entering it, and he asked the city to consider creating blockage and appropriating funds in the upcoming budget for lake safety and improvement.
• Jackie DePio (Medlock Bridge resident) described massive culverts on her lakefront property, rising silt, and the risk of culvert blockage, called the situation a stormwater infrastructure problem, and supported ongoing remediation.
• Richie Puri (Seven Oaks resident, Seven Oaks board member, and CEO of a private equity-backed $100 million company headquartered in Johns Creek) said older neighborhoods' infrastructure is not designed for current stormwater flows, offered a public-private partnership to address access and easement challenges, and recommended an engineering assessment, a budget, and a three-to-five-year phased plan.
• A new Seven Oaks resident said a large 12-to-15-foot stormwater trench behind his home is dangerous and supported city action.
• An unnamed resident said the city was trying to buy an unbuildable property for $1 million and asked that those funds instead be used for stormwater solutions.
• During the second public comment period, Richie Puri returned to ask how residents can contribute to the upcoming budget cycle and to urge a larger infrastructure focus. Travis Elkins, a new resident whose wife works at Emory Johns Creek, said he has a city stormwater grant that has made little progress, and noted that landscaping along road projects can help mitigate stormwater before it reaches neighborhoods.

Reports & Presentations

• City Manager Greer presented the July 2026 Manager's Monthly Report and the FY2026 July Monthly Financial Report. Highlights included emergency preemption devices installed on all frontline fire apparatus, the Boardwalk at Town Center being named Public Investment Project of the Year by the Georgia Downtown Association, private investment interest in Town Center including Boston Scientific and the Medley, the America 250 celebration, and park improvements including parking expansion at Collie Creek and turf installation at OC Parks Langfield.
• Mayor Bradbury announced the Johns Creek Patriot Day ceremony on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. at the Newtown Park amphitheater, coordinated with the Rotary Club of Johns Creek, and the second budget hearing on Monday, September 14, 2026.
• Staff announced that city offices will be closed Monday, September 7, 2026, for Labor Day, and that the next work session and council meeting will be September 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Discussion Items

• Roadway Landscaping and Tree Replanting Policy (M.1): Director O'Connor presented the policy, organized into purpose, policy goals, and a three-phase implementation process. The phased approach is intended to identify design, easement acquisition, and construction costs throughout project development and give the mayor and council funding decision points. He recommended adoption.
• Councilmember D.B. moved to approve the policy, and Councilmember Skinner seconded the motion.
• Councilmember Coughlin opposed the policy, arguing it would add time and cost to transportation projects and introduce a subjective council role into aesthetics; he said he prioritizes safety and mobility.
• Councilmember Skinner supported the policy as a way to fund landscaping up front and maintain Johns Creek's quality of life. Councilmember Tunkey said road projects should be both functional and beautiful. Councilmember Aramelli supported the early council check-in and the preservation of the community's pastoral feel. Another council member expressed concern about adding government process when it may not be needed, but said they would still support the policy.
• The policy was approved on a voice vote, with one stated dissent from Councilmember Coughlin.

Mayor's Comments

• Mayor Bradbury acknowledged that nearly everyone at the meeting was connected to stormwater concerns. He said the city's grant program is trying to thread a very fine legal needle, that he knows of no other city in Georgia trying a similar approach, and that the city is moving forward within the constraints of the program.

Executive Session

• A motion to enter executive session was made by Councilmember Aramelli, seconded, and approved. Before entering, Councilmember Aramelli mentioned that the city established a stormwater utility fee around 2020-21, has been triaging stormwater issues, and will provide a broader stormwater update during the budget cycle. The mayor ruled the comments not germane to the executive session motion, and the council then adjourned to executive session.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the August 10, 2026 work session summary and council meeting minutes.
• Approved the meeting agenda.
• Approved all three consent agenda items, including the Multi-Modal Policy, the Old Alabama Bridge Replacement contract, and the Chattahoochee Greenway Engineering contract amendment.
• Adopted the Roadway Landscaping and Tree Replanting Policy on a voice vote, with one stated dissenting vote.
• Approved a motion to enter executive session and adjourned to it.