Holy Spirit's parking-deck plan would remove 102 trees, arborist says

Holy Spirit Catholic Church's proposed parking deck would require removing 102 trees, the project's arborist told a Nov. 2 community meeting—a concrete trade-off in a plan the church says would keep worshippers from parking on neighborhood streets and walking without sidewalks.⁠[1]

The discussion is documented in Smith Boland Architects' meeting summary, not a verbatim transcript or a city decision. Sandy Springs, Georgia, still lists conditional-use case U-26-10 under staff review—not approved.⁠[1][2]

As we reported in October, the proposal calls for a three-level, 106,500-square-foot deck at 844 Mount Paran Road NW without adding worship space. Five unoccupied residential structures would be demolished. The plan also includes 32 additional surface parking spaces, a landscaped pocket park and conversion of the campus drive to two-way traffic.⁠[3]

Arborist Heidi Harrington put the proposed tree removals at 102, compared with 220 she said would have been removed under a 2019 design. An attendee asked whether building a deck over existing parking could save more trees. Architect Michael Boland responded that the footprints would not align and that the church could not function during construction on that lot, according to the summary.⁠[1]

Supporters framed the project as a safety improvement. One parishioner described existing parking conditions as hazardous and congested for his family, children and elderly worshippers. The church's attorney, Amy Hillman, said insufficient campus parking pushes vehicles into adjacent neighborhoods, where pedestrians lack sidewalks and crosswalks.⁠[1]

Drainage was a central question. An attendee warned of flooding, while engineer Austin Dohrn said water treatment would reduce post-development flow and promised hydrologic, geotechnical and downstream studies. The applicant's November letter also describes underground detention. Those are the team's proposed safeguards, not completed study findings.⁠[1]

The timing remains unresolved in the meeting account. Dohrn initially said the studies would follow zoning. When an attendee later asked for a commitment to complete them beforehand, he said that was feasible but timing could be a concern. The summary records no firm pre-decision deadline.⁠[1]

The campus crosses the Sandy Springs–Atlanta boundary. In the November 3 application letter, the owner's attorney says the owner is working toward an intergovernmental agreement that would let Sandy Springs lead the use-permit review while coordinating with Atlanta. The letter does not establish that an agreement has been executed.⁠[1]

The city's register lists the next community meeting for Jan. 11, 2027, at 6 p.m. in the Studio Theater at City Hall, 1 Galambos Way. Atlanta residents' comments matter too: Sandy Springs planner LaQuita Williams told the November meeting that comments from both cities would be reviewed.⁠[1][2]