Funeral home owner fears eminent domain

“The latest person to raise the issue owns a funeral home located at the former Sentell Baptist Church on Roswell Road. Community Funeral Service President D. Brooks Cowles has a 20-year lease with property owner Paul Brown.

Sandy Springs Planning Commission recently approved zoning for a controversial mixed-use development near the intersection of Roswell and Wieuca roads, a project that will also affect Atlanta’s Buckhead Community. Sandy Springs will realign the Windsor Parkway and Roswell Road intersection in order to accommodate the expected traffic from the development.

Under two of the proposed options, the old church would be razed to make way for the project.

Cowles emailed Sandy Springs Councilman Gabriel Sterling to encourage him to oppose using eminent domain to acquire the church property. Sterling recently was the only “no” vote on using eminent domain to buy property at the intersection of Roswell Road and Johnson Ferry for the Sandy Springs city center project.”

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Whisenhunt, Dan. The Breman Reporter 24 June 2013.