DeKalb neighborhoods to vote on joining city of Doraville

It could be the beginning of an urban triangle in northern DeKalb County if voters in three neighborhoods north of Chamblee Tucker Road agree to become part of Doraville during next week’s election.

The annexed borders of Doraville would bump against the new city of Dunwoody. City leaders in nearby Chamblee hope to get their own annexation plan before the Legislature in the next year, which would stretch their borders north to the new Doraville city line.

Combined, that would create a pocket of about 75,000 residents whose cities, not the county, provide services such as public works and police. The issue of local service is key in the area, and it was a driving force in the incorporation of Dunwoody.

“Every city would have their own zoning and ordinances, but there would be no county islands,” said Doraville Mayor Ray Jenkins. “We will work together as cities.”

About 1,500 voters in Cherokee Hills, Oakcliff Estates and Sequoyah Woods will decide next Tuesday if they want to be annexed into Doraville.

The city initially looked at adding the homes and many businesses in the area as a way to square its borders, Jenkins said.

The move, though, would help with redevelopment plans for businesses in the area, while boosting the population by about 65 percent, to an estimated 17,000 residents.

Meanwhile, residents east of Chamblee Dunwoody Road have asked to come into Chamblee, as have some in the Murphy Candler area. Any proposal would still need to go through the General Assembly before it could go to a public vote.

“It still needs to go through the process, but our fiscal feasibility study shows it would work,” said Chamblee Mayor Eric Clarkson.

If approved, Doraville’s new borders will take effect on Dec. 31. Jenkins said the city plans to hire additional maintenance workers and police officers next year to handle the larger city.