Townships won’t become a reality in Georgia

The Georgia General Assembly didn’t act this year on proposals to create townships as a new form of government for communities. BRANT SANDERLIN/BSANDERLIN@AJC.COM

The Georgia General Assembly didn’t act this year on proposals to create townships as a new form of government for communities. BRANT SANDERLIN/BSANDERLIN@AJC.COM

The idea of allowing Georgia communities to form small-government townships as an alternative to full-blown cities isn't advancing in the state Legislature.

Neither of the two bills that would have instituted townships cleared the House or Senate before this week’s deadline for legislation to pass at least one chamber.

Townships would have operated similarly to cities but with fewer services offered.

The powers of townships would have been limited to land use, planning and zoning, with property tax rates capped at 0.5 mills.

Townships would have continued to rely on county governments to provide services like police, fire, water, sewer, libraries, parks and roads.

Communities across metro Atlanta have been incorporating in recent years, with eight cities formed in the region since 2005.

None of the township bills received a hearing in legislative committees this year. The measures were House Bill 785 and Senate Bill 272.