NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — An Atlanta private school is hoping to secure land in Sandy Springs for a new athletic complex despite opposition from neighbors.
The Galloway School wants to build the new facility near High Point Road because the school says it has outgrown its current space near Chastain Park. A submitted location map includes drawings for a softball field, tennis courts, a hitting facility and 55 parking spaces.
The school is in the process of conducting studies and seeking the approval of city officials before it can move forward with the sale of the land currently owned by former Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn.
The proposal for the eight-acre property could go before the city council as soon as January 2016.
Meanwhile, some neighbors are vowing to organize in opposition to the athletic complex.
"It would be a constant flow of traffic on a dead end street," said Sheila Cornelius, who lives within 300 feet of where the school hopes to build.
The school's plans include building on a floodplain near Nancy Creek.
"It is just notorious for overflowing in this area even when we have minor amounts of rainfall," said Cornelius. "That water is going to end up in someone else's yard."
Another neighbor, Robin Conklin, says she has been going door-to-door handing out flyers in opposition of the athletic complex.
"I have not met one single person that has been in favor of this," she said.
A Galloway School spokesperson tells Channel 2 Action News several studies, including environmental and traffic studies, have been conducted and more are planned. Their proposal acknowledges neighbor concerns by omitting plans for a speaker system or permanent bleachers.