Avondale Estates has decided once again to pursue annexation after a recently completed feasibility study by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
Two annexation plans were analyzed by Vinson. Study Area 1 includes the commercial district Rio Circle along with residences south of Rockbridge Road, the VFW property, the former Avondale Middle School and Avondale High School property and a small commercial district on South Columbia Drive.
Study Area 2, the annexation plan currently in the House, has no commercial property but quite a bit more residential.
Commissioners were surprised the Vinson study showed Study Area 2 producing more excess tax revenue: $822,379 in the first year compared to Study Area’s 1’s $263,456. Primarily this is due to more anticipated property taxes and Homestead Option Sales Taxes coming out of No. 2.
Nevertheless three out of four commissioners attending a work session this week (Randy Bebee was absent) favor Study Area 1, due entirely to Rio Circle, which many believe has enormous future earning potential.
Avondale Estates currently has a tax base that is 89 percent residential and 11 percent commercial.
Only Commissioner Terry Giager favored Study Area 2 because, he said, “I believe DeKalb County will never let us have Rio Circle.”
The commission will schedule a public input session regarding the two plans, probably next week.
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