South Fulton residents could get a vote on incorporation (Atlanta: residential, money)

[primaltech]

Rivers, creeks, main roads, and railroads make for the best, clearest borders. Atlanta should extend west to the river, and south to Camp Creek, or Campbellton Rd. Or at least encompass all the area inside Camp Creek Pkwy.

South of that should be a new city along the river, call it Campbellton would be a good name. Or Camp Creek. That would border the river to the west, Atlanta to the northeast, Chattahoochee Hills to the south, and South Fulton Parkway would make for an ideal border on the east. And then also these railroad tracks, where Welcome All Park is:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6349871,-84.5293321,14z

East of that little bit should be College Park. And then southeast of S Fulton Pkwy should be the cities of Union City/Fairburn/Palmetto, split equitably. With no funky enclaves/exclaves/crazy peninsulas anywhere.

[demonta4]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Rivers, creeks, main roads, and railroads make for the best, clearest borders. Atlanta should extend west to the river, and south to Camp Creek, or Campbellton Rd. Or at least encompass all the area inside Camp Creek Pkwy.

South of that should be a new city along the river, call it Campbellton would be a good name. Or Camp Creek. That would border the river to the west, Atlanta to the northeast, Chattahoochee Hills to the south, and South Fulton Parkway would make for an ideal border on the east. And then also these railroad tracks, where Welcome All Park is:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6349871,-84.5293321,14z

East of that little bit should be College Park. And then southeast of S Fulton Pkwy should be the cities of Union City/Fairburn/Palmetto, split equitably. With no funky enclaves/exclaves/crazy peninsulas anywhere.

Is the Georgia Legislature ever gonna support this though? We can say what we want to happen, but chances are that it isn't gonna happen and people are fed up with being unincorporated which is why the South Fulton cityhood proposal exists. We're killing ourselves with our stupid annexation laws that benefit nobody.

[jero23]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Rivers, creeks, main roads, and railroads make for the best, clearest borders. Atlanta should extend west to the river, and south to Camp Creek, or Campbellton Rd. Or at least encompass all the area inside Camp Creek Pkwy.

South of that should be a new city along the river, call it Campbellton would be a good name. Or Camp Creek. That would border the river to the west, Atlanta to the northeast, Chattahoochee Hills to the south, and South Fulton Parkway would make for an ideal border on the east. And then also these railroad tracks, where Welcome All Park is:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6349871,-84.5293321,14z

East of that little bit should be College Park. And then southeast of S Fulton Pkwy should be the cities of Union City/Fairburn/Palmetto, split equitably. With no funky enclaves/exclaves/crazy peninsulas anywhere.

That does sound like something that should rationally occur. It's going to be interesting what the map will look like after all of these annexations are complete.

[South Fulton Facts]

After the first City of South Fulton bill passed, in 2006, Fairburn and Union City received tons of annexation petitions. Those two cities approved most of the annexation requests, which gave unincorporated south Fulton its jagged shape of today. The feasibility study, that was released before a single annexation took place, said the proposed city was financially viable. But voters continuously raised questions about how large an effect those annexations had on the tax base. In light of that confusion, the referendum failed because there was no confidence that the numbers were sound without massive tax increases.

They were right.

Between 2007 and 2013, the south Fulton County millage rate increased from 5.659 to 12.469. 2015 was the first time south Fulton's taxes were lowered; the county commission voted to set the rate at 11.579.

Fast forward to this year, and you have the same thing happening in 2016 that occurred in 2007. With the 1 July 2016 deadline looming, property owners are submitting annexation petitions to Atlanta, College Park, Union City, and Chattahoochee Hills. These are all valuable pieces of property. The feasibility study, released in 2014, hasn't factored any of these annexations into the equation.

The difference this time is that the 2016 City of South Fulton bill caps the property tax rate at 14.469 for the first five years of the city's existence. Obviously that means if taxes can't be raised, then services must be cut to balance the budget.

Unfortunately, the 2014 feasibility study says South Fulton services are already below Dept. of Community Affairs averages.

This is an actual quote from the feasibility study:

"Police is the highest expenditure category for the low and high DCA averages with spending from $219-$246 per capita. The [South Fulton Special Services District (SSD)] currently spends less than the average amount at $174 per capita. For fire, the DCA average is about $170 for both low and high averages; the SSD currently spends $160 per capita. For highways and streets the DCA city average is roughly $80 per capita for both low and high averages. In FY2012, Fulton County spent $50 per capita in the SSD, considerably below the DCA averages."

Creating this city now is a bad idea.

There are just too many questions lingering out there for south Fulton residents, like myself, to confidently cast a yes vote.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by jero23

That does sound like something that should rationally occur. It's going to be interesting what the map will look like after all of these annexations are complete.

That map also doesn't take into account the potential annexation of the FIB corridor by Atlanta.

[South Fulton Facts]

Georgia Unfiltered | Telling the Truth

Publix, Wal-Mart & Other Businesses Seek ATL Annexation to Avoid Possible City of South Fulton

In April, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed sent a letter to unincorporated south Fulton County business owners, urging them to consider annexation over creating a new city called South Fulton.

The letter, obtained by WXIA-TV, read in part, "As a commercial/industrial property-owner in the proposed area, you do not have the right to vote in the upcoming referendum unless you also reside in the proposed area.

"The City of Atlanta has maintained an open-door policy of welcoming property owners and residents who are interested in annexing into Atlanta city limits," the Reed letter continues. "We are extending an opportunity for you to discuss the option of annexing into the City of Atlanta should you oppose being incorporated into the new City of South Fulton."

Georgia Unfiltered has learned, through open records requests, that quite a few businesses in the Cascade Road area have taken Atlanta's Mayor up on his offer.

Atlanta has received five different annexation petitions totaling 220.8 acres worth $50,535,270. Included in the annexation request is the entire Cascade Crossing shopping center, anchored by Publix; as well as the Cascade Wal Mart and other valuable commercial properties.

This $50 million annexation request by commercial property owners is the largest to date, since Governor Nathan Deal signed House Bill 514, the so-called South Fulton cityhood bill, into law. College Park recently received annexation petitions for 142.7 acres of commercial property valued at $32 million.

Under House Bill 514, property owners and registered voters have until 1 July 2016 to annex out of the proposed city of South Fulton before the borders are locked for the November referendum.

[demonta4]

Originally Posted by South Fulton Facts

Georgia Unfiltered | Telling the Truth

Is this not a political agenda from Mayor Reed? This seems like an organized effort to stop this new city from forming instead of letting the residents choose. If they annex all these businesses and South Fulton votes no we'll lose more tax money and be in worse shape.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by South Fulton Facts

Georgia Unfiltered | Telling the Truth

This just keeps getting more popcorn worthy.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by Gulch

This just keeps getting more popcorn worthy.

[jero23]

Originally Posted by demonta4

Is this not a political agenda from Mayor Reed? This seems like an organized effort to stop this new city from forming instead of letting the residents choose. If they annex all these businesses and South Fulton votes no we'll lose more tax money and be in worse shape.

Well, you have Roger Bruce, LaDawn Blackett Jones, Donzella James, Bill Edwards, etc. to blame for this. I saw this massive annexation coming from a mile away. Atlanta isn't the only municipality doing this. Quiet as it has been kept, Union City, College Park, East Point, and Fairburn are making similar moves as well. I've even heard the Publix on South Fulton Parkway may be annexed into Union City (which surrounds it on all sides) prior to July 1 as well. If that occurs then basically the commercial tax base of the proposed South Fulton municipality will be only 2 Krogers (Cascade and Old National) and a bunch of small businesses scattered throughout the unincorporated areas.