Roswell City Committee Meeting Summary – September 29, 2026

The City of Roswell, Georgia held a committee meeting on September 29, 2026, beginning at approximately 20:44:03 UTC. City Administrator Randy Knighton chaired the meeting, with Mayor Mary Robichot and Councilmembers Sarah Beeson, Aaron Brumley, Christine Hall, Jennifer Philippi, Alan Sells, and Christopher Zack present. Also present were City Attorney Joe Cusack and Deputy City Clerk Rachel Rains. The committee received departmental presentations on a stormwater task order, a playground replacement contract, a development impact fee ordinance amendment, and a Unified Development Code update. No public comments were taken because committee meetings are not public hearings.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments or questions were accepted. The City Administrator explained that public comments are received at the second and fourth Monday city council meetings and on the fifth Monday in open forum.

Discussion Items

Committee Meeting Minutes

• The committee unanimously approved the minutes of the September 15, 2026 committee meeting. Motion by Councilmember Beeson, seconded by Mayor Robichot.

Stormwater Task Order – Charleston Drive

• Coran Valentine, Interim Director of Environmental and Public Works, presented a task order to award Utility Asset Management the Charleston Drive Stormwater Pipelining Project in the amount of $133,488, with a $13,348 contingency, for a total project authorization of $146,836.
• Staff sent the scope to four pre-qualified stormwater contractors; two merged into one, and the other two declined because the project was too small.
• Councilmember Zack asked how often the on-call contractor list is refreshed; staff said every three years.
• Motion by Councilmember Sells, seconded by Councilmember Philippi, passed unanimously.

Playground Replacement Contract

• Mr. Malone of Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs, joined by Deputy Director Taylor Smith, requested approval to contract with Dominica Recreation Products for playground replacements at East Roswell Park, Groveway Community Park, Roswell Area Park, and Sloan Street Park. The contract amount was $1,468,683.14, with a total project authorization of $1,542,117.
• Eight firms responded to the request for proposals, and Dominica was the recommended vendor after interviews with three finalists. The project uses 2022 bond funding.
• The existing playgrounds are roughly 20 to 25 years old. New designs emphasize inclusive play, include integrated shade structures and adaptive swings at Groveway, do not change existing footprints, and will involve no tree removal. Old materials will be recycled. The target schedule is Mayor and Council action on October 13, 2026, construction start in January 2027, and completion by late May or early June 2027.
• Councilmember Beeson asked which playground structures would remain, and Councilmember Brumley asked about useful life. Staff answered that warranties are 15 years and expected service life is generally 20 to 25 years.
• Motion by Councilmember Beeson, seconded by Councilmember Brumley, passed unanimously.

Development Impact Fee Ordinance Update

• Deputy City Administrator Jeff Leatherman and consultant Carson Vice presented a proposed amendment to Roswell’s development impact fee ordinance. The last update was in 2015, and the study began in January 2025 with the Roswell Development Authority serving as the required advisory committee.
• The presentation explained that Georgia impact fees are one-time payments tied to new growth, cannot be used for existing deficiencies or operating costs, and must be accounted for separately. Roswell’s permitted categories are recreation and parks, police, fire, and transportation.
• The study projects about 770 new residents, 3,190 new housing units, 3,340 new employees, and about 1.43 million square feet of future non-residential space (the transcript says ‘residential’ at one point, but the employment context indicates non-residential).
• Proposed maximum allowable fees were presented as $9,275 per single-family unit, $6,728 per multifamily unit, and nonresidential rates of $8,142 per 1,000 square feet for commercial, $3,613 for office and other services, about $3,590 for institutional, and $1,123 for industrial. The fees include a 3% administration fee. The previous fee for a larger single-family home was $4,135.
• The proposed rates would place Roswell in the top 10% regionally; Milton was listed at $10,652 for a single-family unit.
• Councilmembers discussed whether residential fees should be charged per unit or by square footage. Vice said either method is defensible, but square-footage fees can improve proportionality and affordability while being more administratively burdensome. Councilmember Sells said the per-unit charge equals roughly four years of property tax on an average Roswell home and could discourage smaller starter homes. Councilmember Hall questioned whether multifamily gets appropriate economies of scale; Vice said there is no empirical evidence to support adjusting for that. Hall also asked about keeping police and fire fees in one bucket; City Attorney Cusack said separate buckets reduce litigation risk and improve accounting.
• Discussion also covered mixed-use and economic development incentives, including a possible trip-exchange district to reduce fees for qualifying mixed-use projects. Staff said they would review incentive opportunities and bring recommendations back.
• Staff explained that properties rebuilt without having previously paid impact fees, including homes built before the fee requirement began in about 1992, would be assessed impact fees when a new permit is issued. The existing fee schedule would apply to permits filed before the new ordinance is adopted.
• Councilmember Beeson asked why stormwater is not an impact fee category; staff said stormwater is handled through a separate utility fee and onsite detention requirements.
• No formal vote was taken on this item. Leatherman said staff would bring back a revised residential fee structure based on square footage and review incentive options; the scheduled planning commission date of October 20 may need to move.

Unified Development Code Update

• Jeannie Payton, Planning and Zoning Director, presented plans for a full update of the Unified Development Code (UDC). The UDC was adopted in 2014, and the update was paused while the comprehensive plan was completed.
• The project will aim to simplify the UDC, resolve conflicts with the Code of Ordinances, and align the code with the city’s new comprehensive plan. It will be brought to council in three packages: zoning districts; site and subdivision regulations; and process regulations.
• The governing structure includes an executive committee with two councilmembers, the city attorney’s office, the community development director, and board and commission chairs, plus a technical committee of city staff. An RFP for consultant services is expected to be released around October 1, 2026. The schedule targets contract award in December 2026, assessment by mid-May 2027, drafting through October 2027, and adoption by the end of December 2027.
• Councilmembers discussed the level of council oversight and community transparency. Councilmember Brumley asked to review the RFP before it went out and offered to share his redline comments. Councilmember Beeson supported using an outside consultant for subject-matter expertise. Jeff Leatherman said the intent is staff augmentation rather than consultant-led work, and the RFP could be delayed to ensure alignment with council expectations.
• No formal action was taken on this item.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimously approved the September 15, 2026 committee meeting minutes.
• Unanimously approved the Utility Asset Management task order for the Charleston Drive Stormwater Pipelining Project, with a total authorization of $146,836.
• Unanimously approved the Dominica Recreation Products playground replacement contract, with a total authorization of $1,542,117.
• Directed staff to revise the residential impact fee calculation to a square-footage basis, review incentive and mixed-use trip-exchange options, and return with updated recommendations; the planning commission date may shift from October 20.
• Agreed to share the Unified Development Code RFP with council before release and to keep the council closely informed as the project proceeds.
• The meeting adjourned by unanimous motion, with the motion by Councilmember Beeson and seconds by Mayor Robichot and Councilmember Sells.