Solve the Smyrna mystery (Atlanta, Marietta: apartment complex, townhome, neighborhood)

[rcsteiner]

The areas of Smyrna which are nice are along Cooper Lake Road, along Atlanta Road to the south of Paces Ferry, and other locations in the southern third of the city. IMO. Although many of the newer developments are not Smyrna at all (even though they may be 30080) but rather Cobb County. One Ivy Walk and West Village off Atlanta Road, for example, are two such places.

You stopped going south at about the point that things get better (i.e., where most of the new development has taken place). so put it simply: you missed it.

The City of Smyrna continues *well* south of Paces Ferry Road. Heck, on Cooper Lake Road it continues south of the East/West Connector in some places (the Vinings Estates subdivision is in Smyrna now, not Mableton, as are a few other subdivisions south of Vinings Estates).

Keep in mind, also, that Windy Hill Road is approximately the northern border of the city, and that anything north of that point is in the no man's land around the air reserve base. Northern Smyrna is the poorest area for the most part. Southern Smyrna is the wealthiest.

Below is a map showing the city boundaries and some of the newer subdivisions I'm familiar with that have largely been built up since we moved here in 2004. I see that the ones along Atlanta Road aren't in the City of Smyrna proper (didn't know that), but they have Smyrna 30080 addresses.

[Saintmarks]

I love Smyrna's mix, like that it isn't all one homogeneous upper middle class look alike area. Beautiful homes off Atlanta road, my brother's 50s brick ranch that he bought for $40k in the early 80s and then sold for 4 times that in the mid 90s was torn down in the mid 00s and has a $750k house sitting on the site now. Very leafy, rolling terrain.

ALTJTL, I might understand your disdain if you had moved to Buckhead or Sandy Springs, but Norcross? Norcross has the same mix IMO with no character and further afield from the center of things.

[cqholt]

The city limits of Smyrna are very choppy, how does one know if they live the city limits or not? Why has Smyrna not annexed the are between the borders for a more continuous city limits?

[lorilove]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The city limits of Smyrna are very choppy, how does one know if they live the city limits or not? Why has Smyrna not annexed the are between the borders for a more continuous city limits?

Smyrna has tried to annex where it makes sense but that is not necessarily easy - homeowners will fight it if they don't want it. Cobb County will also fight since they lose taxes.

There are areas where it is difficult for Cobb County to service fire and police due to islands inside of Smyrna and in those cases they will work with Smyrna on the annexation.

Annexation is actually a very hot topic all over the Atlanta area. Smyrna's city limits are no worse than other areas.

[cqholt]

But it would suck to call 911 and have them decide whether its Smyrna or Cobb County. Very inefficient in my mind. Who wouldn't want to get city services?

[David1502]

I live in Smyrna and couldn't be happier. In fact, I think it is the sleeper of the metro area. These are my reason for liking Smyrna (or at least my portion of it):

1. Location: The Paces Ferry Rd. Exit on 285 offers the best access to all that metro Atlanta offers with the least amount of congestion
2. The area is aesthetically attractive. When you exit onto Paces Ferry Rd., you immediately see a landscaped median (which is a result of the Cumberland Tax Improvement District). Atlanta Rd. is about to get a landscaped median soon as well.
3. The attractive brick walled communities with Williamsburg Architecture which you see all along ATL Rd. I am speaking of 2000 Paces Ferry, Devonshire Manor, Heritage at Vinings, etc.
4. The best grocery stores and best selling in all of the metro are in the Smynings area: the number one Publix for all of the Atlanta area is the Vinings store and their number three is the store at E/W Connector at S. Cobb. The new Kroger on S. Cobb is by far the cutting edge and is over 90,000 sq. ft. Also, Publix is putting one of their new concept, Greenwise stores at the former Jonquil Plaza site which will be similar to a Whole Foods. Publix Vinings has just remodeled and is much improved.
5. The corporate Home Depot in Vinings is tops!
6. The metro's best city services. Smyrna's Police Dept. has one of the highest officer to resident ratios in the country at one for every 400 residents.
7. Quick access to recreation - the Silver Comet Trail and Kennesaw Mtn and the Chattahoochee river Trails are all close by. Also, Atlanta Rd has just gotten an extension of the greenway to connect to the Silver Comet.
8. Metro Atanta's only 24 hr a day Starbucks is at the Paces Ferry interchange.
9. The best of Buckhead is only 5 miles away - OK Cafe and the West Paces Ferry Rd. shopping center; Vinings and all it offers is at our doorstep.
10. Cheaper gas (The Pilot Station at ATL Rd/285) and the $5 Car Wash on S. Cobb Dr.

In conclusion, Smyrna offers convenient access to all of the attractions of the Atlanta area's most expensive neighborhoods (Buckhead and Vinings) yet is incredibly affordable. We are less than 25 minutes from the Airport and less than 20 minutes to Downtown and the Perimeter areas, yet we don't have the congestion or higher property taxes of Fulton/DeKalb and the housing costs are half that of those inside 285.

I don't know how you can say that living in Norcross, (which isn't even near very expensive areas) is preferable to Smyrna

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The city limits of Smyrna are very choppy, how does one know if they live the city limits or not? Why has Smyrna not annexed the are between the borders for a more continuous city limits?

If someone lives within the city limits, they are charged higher property taxes, but they also get benefits like trash pickup from the city, membership to the various parks, etc.

I agree that it seems strange that bits of Cooper Lake Road are not actually within the city limits, for example, but I think the annexation was done on a subdivision by subdivision basis, and in some areas maybe even house by house.

We live a few hundred yards south of the Smyrna border in Mableton, for example, but I'm not sure I would want to have Smyrna annex my subdivision ... we pay lower property taxes right now, but we're zoned for the same schools as our Smyrna neighbors just to the north. And Cobb County is building a new fire station on the corner of Cooper Lake and the East/West Connector which is right in our immediate area.

[lorilove]

I agree that it seems strange that bits of Cooper Lake Road are not actually within the city limits, for example, but I think the annexation was done on a subdivision by subdivision basis, and in some areas maybe even house by house.

If I recall, Vinings Estates was originally Mabletong and not Smyrna and that s/d was annexed at the request of John Weiland back when Mableton's reputation had not started to improve.

Let's also note that Weiland Homes is very bullish on Smyrna including putting one of their design centers in our area.

[cqholt]

So Cobb County provides Fire to Smyrna residents?

[David1502]

Originally Posted by lorilove

If I recall, Vinings Estates was originally Mabletong and not Smyrna and that s/d was annexed at the request of John Weiland back when Mableton's reputation had not started to improve.

Let's also note that Weiland Homes is very bullish on Smyrna including putting one of their design centers in our area.

The land where Vinings Estates is today was in the City of Smyrna long before John Wieland began to develop it. The land was orginally zoned by Smyrna for industrial uses like you see along Highlands Pkwy and Oakdale Rd. Wieland approached the Smyrna City Council to rezone the property for a golf course community. However, he decided to give up on the golf course portion and make it all homes because the hilly terrain would be too tough for a golf course.

The confusion about Vinings Estates being in "Mableton" is because that area along Cooper Lake Rd. always had a Mableton mailing address because it is closer to the Post Office in Mableton than the Post Office in Smyrna. Since Vinings Estates was developed, Smyrna has annexed additional tracts of land along Cooper Lake when a developer requested it before he started developing homes on the land.

"Mableton" has ambiguous boundaries as it is an uncorporated portion of Cobb County whereas, you know that you are in the City limits of Smyrna by looking at the street signs.