86 The maps he created helped public safety officials understand the connection between geography and vulnerability. For example, the maps revealed, in stark terms, the large number of households at risk from flooding by Long Island Creek, a tributary of the Chattahoochee River. In early 2023, local officials began holding community meetings to discuss the future of Crossroads. To promote transparency and build consensus, the city made 3D maps available, allowing residents to visualize proposed changes. These events culminated in the Crossroads Small Area Plan, adopted by the city council in December. It detailed how the city plans to protect and rehabilitate neighborhood housing stock, increase open space, improve walkability, and promote mixed-use zoning. Some of the recommendations are uncontroversial. Few would object to improving pedestrian safety around Roswell Road, especially for kids who walk under the I-285 overpass to reach their school. However, residents can be concerned about rezoning. Community members want to know what the city means when it encourages mixed-use development. For example, colorcoded 3D GIS maps helped the residents visualize proposed changes by displaying how the neighborhood looks now and how it will look in the future. Crossroads is the location of The Prado, a large shopping area that includes offerings such as Life Time Work, which bills itself as “North Atlanta’s only integrated coworking space and health club experience designed with your mental and physical health in mind.” Across the street from the mall is El Taco Veloz 2, an outpost of Atlanta’s oldest taqueria. That geographic juxtaposition—an established local institution and a work/wellness facility for remote office workers—hints at the growth-related challenges Crossroads residents and the City of Sandy Springs must navigate. Lents uses US Census data and GIS technology to reveal challenges within Sandy Springs—such as poverty and lack of insurance—are concentrated within Crossroads. “I knew much of that would show up there, but it’s easier to see if it’s mapped,” he said. The King and Queen towers have been a key landmark of Sandy Springs' skyline for three decades. These towers overlook Interstate 285, the highway that rings Atlanta and connects it to three major Interstate Highways (I-20, I-75, and I-85). (Photo courtesy of Visit Sandy Springs)
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