Proposed Roswell Road land deal puts a 2029 limit on construction access

A $56,300 Roswell Road land deal headed to Sandy Springs City Council on Nov. 17 would buy permanent road right-of-way—but not indefinite construction access. The proposed agreement requires temporary access to expire no later than Dec. 31, 2029.⁠[1]

The purchase from 5345 Roswell Road LLC covers 629.04 square feet of permanent right-of-way and 780.67 square feet of temporary driveway easement at 5345 Roswell Road. The agreement assigns the acquisition to Phases 2 and 3 of the Roswell Road transit-access and streetscape project.⁠[1]

The price is $7,200 above the city’s $49,100 appraised fair-market-value offer. Public Works staff attributes the settlement to negotiations over land value and the owner’s legal fees for reviewing the agreement, and says information from the owner and the city’s appraisal supports the amount.⁠[1]

The 2029 cutoff is an outside limit, not a guarantee of access until then. The base agreement ends temporary easements two years after construction use begins or when the project is completed and finally accepted, whichever comes first.⁠[1]

The special stipulations also prohibit construction on the acquired right-of-way until the owner has been paid in full. They preserve the owner’s right to seek more compensation if a later right-of-way expansion further affects the remaining property.⁠[1]

Our earlier Phase 1 land-acquisition report concerned the first phase—not all land needed for the corridor. The city’s subsequent status entry still lists acquisition for Phases 2 and 3 as underway. The broader project is intended to complete pedestrian connections to MARTA transit stops.⁠[2][3]

Council approval is still being sought; the agreement says it becomes binding only after council accepts and approves it. The purchase is listed on the Nov. 17 consent agenda. The meeting is scheduled for the Studio Theatre at City Hall, 1 Galambos Way, following the work session.⁠[1]