Sandy Springs will seek $3 million in state funding for a planned paved trail along the Chattahoochee River after the City Council approved the grant application 4-2 on Oct. 6, amid objections from residents concerned about the route’s effects on nearby homes. The proposed Springway Segment 2C would extend from Morgan Falls Overlook Park through wooded land near a creek and private properties toward Adair Lane and Grogan Ferry Road. The city estimates the project will cost about $14 million. Even if it wins the grant, a city memo says the project would still face a funding gap of nearly $3 million. More than two dozen residents spoke at the meeting, offering support and criticism. Concerns included construction disruption, tree loss, parking, pedestrian and vehicle safety, noise and the potential for crime. Some opponents have urged the city to move the trail closer to Morgan Falls Road and build a sidewalk on Adair Lane instead. Council Member Melody Kelley, whose District 2 includes affected neighbors, opposed the application. She said the proposed route raises unresolved issues, including limited parking and the effect on nearby properties. Kelley also warned that securing state money could sharply limit the city’s ability to alter the design. “Once this passes, regardless of what you hear, 2C is done if we get the grant money,” Kelley said. She argued the city should not seek funding before it is ready to proceed with the project. Mayor Rusty Paul said the vote authorized the city to apply for partial funding, rather than guaranteeing construction or settling every design question. But the city’s grant submission would commit to the current alignment, and the design could not be changed beyond minor landscaping if funding is accepted, according to the project’s stated terms. Steve Feldman, president of the Grogan’s Bluff Homeowners Association, said in a letter to elected officials that residents want a trail network but fear the current plan could harm their neighborhood and create added operational burdens. He called on the city to work with homeowners on an alternative route a few meters farther from the neighborhood. Supporters said the concerns echo objections raised when the nearby Lost Corner Preserve was developed. Cheryl Barlow, a longtime resident involved in securing the preserve, said residents who once feared it would invite burglaries now regard it as an asset. She said real estate agents highlight the preserve when marketing homes in the area. The planned segment is about 60% through design and would nearly double the existing paved trail, contributing to a proposed 5.6-mile Morgan Falls loop. Sandy Springs adopted its trail master plan in 2019 and named the network Springway in 2023. The broader plan calls for 31.4 miles of paved paths, including connections to PATH400, City Springs and Cumberland. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is expected to review applications this winter. Sandy Springs would be invited to submit a second-round application in the spring if the project scores well enough to advance. The city previously sought state funding for the trail but did not receive it. The council’s vote does not eliminate the possibility of other funding sources or changes to trail materials, according to the city’s stated options. The decision nevertheless advances a project whose route and design have become a point of disagreement between residents seeking better trail connections and neighbors asking for more attention to local impacts.