Sandy Springs Obtains Green Communities Certification

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — The city of Sandy Springs has improved its ranking in the Atlanta Regional Commission Green Communities certification program. Sandy Springs has achieved the Silver level certification, which is an advancement from the Bronze level designation it was awarded in 2014.

The ARC's Green Communities program helps local governments implement measures that will reduce their environmental impact. This program recognizes a government's commitment to environmental stewardship and their leadership in sustainability practices. All winners earned certification points for sustainable measures implemented in their respective communities. Some measures that earned Sandy Springs certification points include:

• Building Marsh Creek Park to handle stormwater runoff from the new City Springs development while accommodating future redevelopment around City Springs.
• Partnering with Trees Atlanta to increase its tree canopy by providing residents with shade trees near right-of-way property lines and by reforesting an empty lot along Johnson Ferry Road.
• Administering the Heritage Sandy Springs Farmers Market, which has a permanent home at City Springs on Saturday mornings. The city partners with Heritage Sandy Springs to bring in local vendors that provide fresh produce, eggs, dairy, meat, and specialty items to residents.
• Designing the new Windsor Meadows Park to replace flooded single-family homes with a bike- and pedestrian-accessible neighborhood greenspace. The city designed the park to handle floodwaters from Nancy Creek, decreasing the number of flood-prone homes in city limits.
• Partnering with Keep North Fulton Beautiful to bring a wide range of recycling and waste disposal to residents. The recycling center accepts a variety of materials, including glass, appliances, electronics, books, clothes, and household hazardous waste.

In metro Atlanta, 20 local governments — 13 cities and seven counties — are currently certified under ARC’s Green Communities program. It's the first program in the country to promote sustainability through a green certification program for local governments at the regional level, the ARC adds. This year, the cities of Alpharetta, Chamblee, Decatur, and Sandy Springs, as well as Cherokee, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties were honored.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here)

ARC developed the Green Communities Program in 2009 to recognize local governments that invest in programs and policies that lead to a more sustainable region. The nationally recognized program showcases the many ways that local governments can reduce their environmental footprint.

More information about ARC’s Green Communities certification program, including the measures each community has implemented, is available at atlantaregional.com/greencommunities.

Image via Atlanta Regional Commission