Strategic Priorities
City Council will focus on five strategic priorities this year.
Arts & Culture | Economic Development | Public Safety | Recreation & Parks | Transportation & Connectivity
Arts & Culture
Johns Creek continues to elevate its identity as a cultural hub through diverse community events. The city’s calendar is anchored by signature celebrations, including Lunar New Year, Daffodil Days, International Festival, Juneteenth, summer concerts, Arts Festival, Literary Fair, and Diwali Celebration.
2026 Focus Areas:
- Public Art Master Plan: The City plans to draft a comprehensive Public Art Master Plan to move beyond individual commissions toward a unified, long-term strategy for art installations citywide.
- New Installations: Two major public art pieces are debuting this year: a signature sculpture, “Fluostrata,” at The Boardwalk at Town Center park, and three stainless steel dog silhouettes commissioned for the new Fire Station #63 / Police South Substation.
- Community Partnerships: The City will continue its partnership with the Johns Creek Arts Center to curate rotating galleries at City Hall and Park Place.
Economic Development
The City remains dedicated to fostering a business-friendly environment through proactive outreach and the ongoing activation of the Boardwalk at Town Center as a premier destination.
2026 Focus Areas:
- Town Center Activation: Following the selection of a vertical pillar signage design, City Council reached consensus on branding and way-finding for key locations in the Town Center.
- Business Outreach: The City will continue for the Business Blitz outreach program connecting with businesses throughout Johns Creek and the JC10 annual gathering, which connects the City with its 10 largest employers.
- Regional Partnerships: The City will continue to engage with the Johns Creek and Greater North Fulton Chambers of Commerce for events like “Vitals and Ventures,” which highlight Johns Creek’s leadership in the healthcare and technology sectors.
Public Safety
Johns Creek remains a leader in public safety through investment in state-of-the-art facilities and a data-driven approach to emergency response.
2026 Focus Areas:
- New Fire Station & Police Substation: The opening of the new Fire Station #63 / Police Substation this spring will provide modernized facilities for first responders.
- EMS Enhancements: The City is pursuing several initiatives to improve ambulance response times: upgrading Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems, emergency traffic light pre-emption, and telehealth for non-emergent calls.
- Proactive Policy: JCPD is reviewing parking codes for potential adjustments to better manage the anticipated growth and activity in the Town Center area.
Recreation & Parks
The City continues to use the community-driven 2023 Parks Master Plan as a guide to improve and strategically add to the Recreation and Parks system.
2026 Focus Areas:
- New Recreation Center: City Council is exploring the concept of adding a recreation center with first phase components including a gym, large multi-purpose room, walking track, small community rooms/classrooms, dedicated-use programming space, weight room/fitness center, concessions/café area, indoor courts, retractable bleachers, and indoor golf /driving space.
- Town Center Boardwalk: The north pond area soft opened in March 2026 and the full park grand opening is set for May 8, 2026. The pedestrian tunnel remains on schedule for completion in time for the America 250 celebration in July.
- Cauley Creek Improvements: Engineering is underway for expanded parking at Cauley Creek Park, and discussion will continue on the park’s future Makerspace facility.
- Facility Renovation: The Newtown Clubhouse renovation will begin in the spring and is expected to be completed in the summer.
Transportation / Connectivity
Connectivity is at the forefront with four projects set for completion, three projects under construction throughout the year, and one project planned to start construction in 2026. Additionally, several major engineering projects will move into the right-of-way and construction phases in 2026.
2026 Focus Areas:
- TSPLOST III Planning: City Council decided to continue to use the broad category approach to plan for the upcoming TSPLOST III referendum and wait to set specific projects until after voter feedback in November 2026.
- New Policies: Council updated regulations in early 2026 to regulate the use of electronic-assisted bicycles (e-bikes), and later in the spring the Council will discuss a multi-modal policy and potential ordinance updates for vertiports.
- Stormwater Management: A standalone Stormwater Pond Dredging Grant Program is being developed to assist the community with stormwater pond maintenance, separate from existing stormwater grant initiatives.
- Infrastructure Tech: The Traffic Control Center is receiving an update this spring to improve real-time traffic management across the city.
