Developer impact fees collected in Roswell can now flow toward an updated list of public safety, parks, and transportation projects after the City Council voted 6-0 on Monday, July 27, to transmit the annual Capital Improvement Element update.
The measure passed unanimously. Jackie Deibel, deputy director of Community Development, presented the item to Mayor Mary Robichaux and Councilmembers Sarah Beeson, Eren Brumley, Christine Hall, Jennifer Phillippi, Allen Sells, and Chris Zack. It was the first item on the regular agenda at City Hall.
What the Capital Improvement Element does
Under Roswell's Unified Development Code, the Capital Improvement Element is the portion of the city's Comprehensive Plan that lays out projected infrastructure needs, a schedule of improvements, and how the city expects to pay for them. It covers projects with a useful life of at least 10 years that increase service capacity in three areas: public safety, recreation and parks, and transportation.
Impact fees are one-time charges developers pay when new construction is permitted. The CIE is the legal gate that determines which capital projects those fees can fund. Without a project appearing on the list, the city cannot spend impact fee revenue on it.
Where the projects come from
The project list draws from Roswell's 2040 Comprehensive Plan, according to Roswell Connections, a local meeting-recap outlet that covered the July 27 session. The specific projects and dollar amounts included in the 2026 update have not been publicly released in a document available online.
As we reported July 28, the council also approved transmittal of the broader 2045 Comprehensive Growth Plan at the same meeting, a separate action that updates the city's long-range vision for Canton Street and the GA-400 corridor.
Why it matters for residents
As Roswell continues to grow, impact fees are one mechanism that ensures new development helps pay for the infrastructure it demands. The CIE update keeps that pipeline current. Without an annual refresh, the city risks collecting fees it cannot legally spend on the projects residents need most.
The vote determines which capital projects can receive impact fee funding as the city grows.
What's next
The next regular City Council meeting is Monday, August 10, at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 38 Hill Street. That agenda is expected to include the deferred Old Roswell Road rezoning, a proposal to rezone a 10-acre site for 62 townhomes. The data center ordinance, which passed first reading 5-0 on July 27, is also expected to return for a final vote at a future meeting.
The city's agenda for the July 27 meeting is available online. Residents can attend council meetings in person or watch the meeting video posted after each session.
