Sandy Springs aims spending at sidewalks, roads

Sandy Springs residents will get a bit more money spent on roads and sidewalks next year, instead of on renovations to turn a city-owned building into a rental hall.

The City Council on Tuesday approved a $97 million budget that includes $24.1 million set aside for paving roads and installing sidewalks throughout the 4-year-old city. The tax rate stays steady at 4.71 mills.

But council members removed $1.825 million originally budgeted to spiff up the Bluestone Building to include a caterer’s kitchen, two-story porch and other renovations.

Instead, the council voted to give just $150,000 for the project, to study a design. The remaining $1.675 million will be split evenly between the sidewalk program and the rebuilding of some streets.

“I feel it is premature to judge the need for a facility like this,” said councilman Tibby DeJulio.

Heritage Sandy Springs, a nonprofit group that is best known for putting on the Sandy Springs Festival, operates out of the building.

It had hoped the improvements would help it boost its rental income with parties, weddings and other gatherings.

More than 35 Heritage volunteers tried unsuccessfully to sway the board, arguing the need to makeover the building, which sits next to the Heritage Green in what many consider Sandy Springs’ downtown.

“The reason we voted to have a city is because we wanted to have a community,” said Glenn McDaniel, a restaurateur who supported the renovation. “We have to create what we need in this town.”

Officials said renovations to the building are likely to be phased in over time.

Adding another $800,000 to sidewalk work should help the city extend its program to so-called collector roads, which lead to public areas such as parks. The money for streets will go to the city’s first bid to fully reconstruct its worst performing roads, which are often in residential areas.