Sandy Springs Requests Immediate Removal Of Roswell Rd. Billboard

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — The City of Sandy Springs filed an emergency motion in Fulton County Superior Court on Jan. 17, requesting the immediate removal of billboards owned by Outfront Media LLC at 6215 Roswell Rd., property owned by the City of Sandy Springs. The city needs to clear the property to enable emergency vehicles to utilize the property to safely exit onto adjacent streets from the temporary fire station being located at 6189 Roswell Rd.

The city is rebuilding the 50-year-old Fire Station No. 2, located on Johnson Ferry Road, relocating a crew to a facility located at 6189 Roswell Rd. The temporary site is located at the intersection of Roswell Road and Mt Vernon Highway. The saturation of traffic on Roswell Road makes exits directly onto Roswell, too hazardous, and Mt. Vernon Highway is a one-way street. To create checked access, the city plans a driveway through the lot at 6215 Roswell Rd., providing fire apparatus safer turning zones onto surrounding roadways.

The city purchased the parcel in 2016, as part of a project to enhance safety, improve operational efficiency, reduce traffic accidents, and minimize congestion delays at the intersection of Johnson Ferry Road and Mt. Vernon Highway at Roswell Road. As part of the emergency motion, the city said it is adding that time-limited grants to construct that project are in jeopardy due to the pendency of the Outfront Media appeal.

Following the 2016 sale, Outfront Media continued to rent the billboards at the site. Legal proceedings regarding the billboards’ residency continued until the Fulton County Superior Court ruling in November last year when the court granted summary judgment to the city. Outfront Media filed a Notice of Appeal on Dec. 3, which under normal circumstances allows it to remain on the premises during the appeal process, which could take two or more years to resolve.

The city said it hopes to relocate Fire Station No. 2 over the next 90 days, so that construction of the fire station can be completed in advance of the planned roadway construction.