Residents debate housing, walkability and growth in Roswell comprehensive plan

At the Roswell Mayor and Council open forum on June 29, residents pressed elected leaders over the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan, sharply disagreeing about whether the plan should steer the city toward more multifamily housing and denser, walkable corridors.

"It felt like a lobbying effort for 'affordable multifamily apartment housing,'" said David Woodro, who told the council the comprehensive plan is a "legal document" that will determine outcomes in future zoning disputes and urged caution before changing neighborhood land uses. Woodro also raised concerns about influence on policy and about staffing choices tied to housing interests.

Younger residents and supporters of mixed-use said the plan could be adapted to improve walkability without erasing historic neighborhoods. "We should focus on doing mixed-use zoning along major arterials and leave Canton Street and the downtown area the way it is now," said Cameron Hoodree, who urged investment in pedestrian infrastructure, transit and mixed-use projects along Highway 9, Hulcom Bridge Road and Mansell Road.

Courtney Rosier cited the city’s outreach results and demographic analysis, saying the summary of the survey ("more than a thousand respondents," she said) shows traffic is the top concern but also found support for mixed-use development that includes business and housing. Rosier suggested partnerships with employers — notably healthcare providers — to incentivize housing options for workers.

Jennifer Donlin pushed back on fear-based framing of "affordable housing," saying the phrase refers to current and potential neighbors such as teachers, healthcare workers and first responders. "Thoughtful housing choices don't have to mean towering apartment buildings in every neighborhood," she said.

The discussion threaded technical and political concerns: several speakers asked how proposed changes to the Unified Development Code would align with the comprehensive plan and warned that public input favoring preservation should be respected. Scott Long, who later spoke about data-center zoning, also pressed staff to ensure that the UDC and comprehensive-plan designations match to avoid inconsistent outcomes.

No formal action was taken at the forum. Deputy City Clerk Rachel Reigns and Mayor Mary Robishau said staff will collect questions and publish written responses on the city website within two weeks; the city also plans an additional open-mic session on a weekend date to broaden access.

The conversation lays out a central choice for Roswell: balance growth and the need for workforce housing against residents’ desire to preserve neighborhood character. Council members did not make policy commitments during the forum; further debate on the comp plan and related ordinance changes will occur through the planning process and upcoming public hearings.