All cityhood movements alive at Georgia General Assembly

$WATCHDOG - Cityhood has become all the rage in metro Atlanta's northern suburbs, but there are hazards when forming a government in your own back yard. Recent ethical infractions and controversies show why residents are having to watchdog these hatchling cities just as vigorously as they do their county governments. Local control can mean trouble closer to home, and no city illustrates the slippery slope into corruption like Brookhaven, the most recent city to form. Metro Atlanta's cityhood movement turns 10 in 2015, and five more cities will be in the works in the legislative session starting in January. WE NEED A MAP OR TWO MAPS THAT SHOW THE NEW CITIES IN METRO ATLANTA. THEY INCLUDE Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Milton, Chattahoochee Hills, Dunwoody, Brookhaven AND Peachtree Corners. WE ALSO NEED A MAP OF THE PROPOSED NEW CITIES. THEY INCLUDE LaVista Hills, Tucker, South DeKalb, Stonecrest and South Fulton. The map should also show the proposed annexation of Druid Hills to Atlanta. We've done several maps on these topics already, but the new maps would have to reflect the new borders between LaVista Hills and Tucker. We've included two attachments that have the borders of the proposed new cities, an AJC revamp on the borders between LaVista Hills and Tucker. We are checking on the borders of the proposed South Fulton.$

WATCHDOG - Cityhood has become all the rage in metro Atlanta's northern suburbs, but there are hazards when forming a government in your own back yard. Recent ethical infractions and controversies show why residents are having to watchdog these hatchling cities just as vigorously as they do their county governments. Local control can mean trouble closer to home, and no city illustrates the slippery slope into corruption like Brookhaven, the most recent city to form. Metro Atlanta's cityhood movement turns 10 in 2015, and five more cities will be in the works in the legislative session starting in January. WE NEED A MAP OR TWO MAPS THAT SHOW THE NEW CITIES IN METRO ATLANTA. THEY INCLUDE Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Milton, Chattahoochee Hills, Dunwoody, Brookhaven AND Peachtree Corners. WE ALSO NEED A MAP OF THE PROPOSED NEW CITIES. THEY INCLUDE LaVista Hills, Tucker, South DeKalb, Stonecrest and South Fulton. The map should also show the proposed annexation of Druid Hills to Atlanta. We've done several maps on these topics already, but the new maps would have to reflect the new borders between LaVista Hills and Tucker. We've included two attachments that have the borders of the proposed new cities, an AJC revamp on the borders between LaVista Hills and Tucker. We are checking on the borders of the proposed South Fulton.

By Mark Niesse

Jan 30, 2015

All proposed new cities in metro Atlanta will be given an opportunity by the Georgia General Assembly to become a reality, but some communities will have a better chance of incorporation than others.

The proposed cities of Tucker, LaVista Hills and South Fulton appeared to be furthest along in the process following the first meeting of the House Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday, making them front-runners in the race for greater local control of their government. Cityhood efforts for Stonecrest, Sharon Springs and Greenhaven (formerly known as South DeKalb) will also get a look by state lawmakers once their legislation is introduced.

"Maybe we'll pass them all; maybe the train will crash and none will get through," said Rep. Buzz Brockway, R-Lawrenceville, the committee's vice chairman.

If the General Assembly approves the proposals, residents in those areas would then vote on whether to approve forming cities. Brockway said he wants to give voters that opportunity.

"I'm optimistic," said Michelle Penkava of Tucker 2015. "The processes are still in place to allow us to move forward."

The House Governmental Affairs Committee passed rules requiring a complete description of borders in cityhood legislation, the completion of a feasibility study before the beginning of next year's legislative session and boundaries that don't overlap with other cities. The rules said cities with conflicting borders can proceed as long as those lines weren't drawn solely to block the consideration of another proposal.

Rep. Ed Rynders, R-Albany, said he wants to adhere to the rules but there may be exceptions made on a case-by-case basis.

"It's fair to say we'll consider any bills that are referred to the committee," said Rynders, the committee's chairman. "We want to be flexible."

About the Author

Mark Niesse

Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.

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All cityhood movements alive at Georgia General Assembly

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