Gwinnett County’s smallest city lives on – for now
Gwinnett County’s smallest city lives on – at least for now.
Senate Bill 427, which would have allowed the City of Buford to annex the remaining parts of tiny Rest Haven, failed to get a vote in the state House of Representatives on the last day of the legislative session Thursday. That means the town of 35 residents will live on, though it really doesn't want to.
Rest Haven was established in 1938 but has been trying to dissolve itself in recent years. Last year the General Assembly approved a bill that allowed nearby Buford to annex half of Rest Haven. This year's SB 427 would have finished the job.
The bill passed the Senate. But with no action by the House, what’s left of Rest Haven will remain an independent city.
State Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford, has said the bill would allow the larger city to clean up Rest Haven's stretch of Buford Highway, a gateway to Lake Lanier and Buford Dam.
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
