Dekalb-inization of Gwinnett?

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by atlantamoi

What exactly do you mean by concrete jungle? I think of downtown cities when I hear that expression. If you mean a few strip malls here and there, okay, but Dacula is still a pretty area with the major developments being new subdivisions in nice areas. Hardly a concrete jungle.

Yes Moi, but it's coming faster than you can imagine.
Outside of the building spree, Dacula has now become a development magnet with Hebron (who owns most of the town) joining in with Emory Mossberger on the development front.
Just this past week the Mayor and Town Council voted to allow townhome devlopements, they want old town Dacula to become a MARTA stop, and yes, flipping permits for even more strip malls featuring dry cleaners, tanning beds, and nail salons. Now keep in mind they did widen a road, well at least a corner of a road anyway
Yes, Dacula wants to join Duluth and DeKalb, the Triple D (a little humor lingo) to be "Big Time". Nevermind the fact that they depend on the Gwinnett Police force for all safety and patrol, never mind the fact that with the help of the county government that kids are in trailers for classrooms, etc., just be "Big Time".

Your right, Dacula is not the concrete jungle yet, but again the local elected officials in that town seem to have lost reason and common sense when it comes to growth. Of course they like to use the term "Growing Pains" Well, IMO the pain is beginning to be rather acute.

Do we really want to be the next NYC, LA, North Jersey? Considering 7 out of every 10 folks heading here have the above tags on their cars running from the areas, than my thought process would be that we would not. But hey? if we are and you cannot stop the engine of overpopulation, can we at least get some good restaurants from those areas?

[J2rescue]

Originally Posted by Georgia

The term of Dekalbinization of Gwinnett came from yours truly.
I have shouted this from the rooftoops for over 2 years.
Other posters have hit the button in regard to this comment, being out of control, rubber stamp developer growth and crime issues moving north from DeKalb into Jimmy Carter to Pleasant Hill.

Today, DeKalb and Gwinnett can provide 2 extremes in regard to county government which come out to equal results. In DeKalb you have "The CEO" Vernon, God Help us all if he wins the Senate seat. Cynthia McKinney II anyone? who's wink wink, nod nod, to his buds has led DeKalb into financial turmoil.
In today's Gwinnett, we have, well let's just call it the Ole' Slappem' on the Back White Bread Blue Bloods who have became developer patsy's overnight. Gwinnett, which was lush green land space from Exit 104 North has now turned into what was stated above. A strip mall ladened, cookie cutter developed concrete jungle. Of course, never mind any infrastucture to support it.

All in all both counties have encountered the wounds of rapid growth over the last decades due to the influx of Rust Belt Refugees, illegal immigrants, and those running from the City of Atlanta itself. It's not about who has the "better" county it is the overall trend happening to the counties, just as DeKalb took the initial brunt, Gwinnett is now suffering the pain.

Who knows, as "THE CEO" moves onto other greener pastures to bankrupt, DeKalb will benefit, maybe, providing they don't go down the same road the City of Atlanta government did by electing another incompetent. As for Gwinnett? Right now, the tunnel is still dark. The government is entrenched, and though homes do not sell, permits for developers are still being issued, though strip malls are vacant, more are going under construction, though traffic is at a standstill by the Mall of Georgia during the weekend, we are building baseball diamonds without the capital to pay for it. Oh yes, and now we may get the final blow, MARTA Yes, MARTA. another deficit ridden transportation system that WILL NOT work. Why? Well, in Gwinnett the current beaucrats will use it as an excuse to issue another thousand building permits! In short, more taxes, higher crime, and just as much gridlock as the county has at present.

In short, we are suffering the consequences of rapid population growth (120,000 per year in the metroplex) without common sense planning from our elected government officials. The best example here is the Chairman of Gwinnetts planning commission, which happens to be the largest developer in the State of Georgia. Rather sad isn't it.

What you're talking about sounds to me like suspiciously like SPRAWL and there is nothing unique about Dekalb or Gwinnett with this problem. There are areas of Cobb and Fulton that have similarly declined as the next wave of sprawl becomes the "nice" place to be for about twenty years.

[equinox63]

Can south dekalb be saved? What can be done to save south dekalb?

[jjordan]

Originally Posted by J2rescue

What you're talking about sounds to me like suspiciously like SPRAWL and there is nothing unique about Dekalb or Gwinnett with this problem. There are areas of Cobb and Fulton that have similarly declined as the next wave of sprawl becomes the "nice" place to be for about twenty years.

Exactly. Did people moving out to the boonies think that no one was going to follow them? That they'd have it all to themselves. When will people understand that sprawl is like a metastasizing tumor, and it can't be stopped? Especially in a state where any interference would be seen as a restriction of "freedom."

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by Georgia

Yes Moi, but it's coming faster than you can imagine.
Outside of the building spree, Dacula has now become a development magnet with Hebron (who owns most of the town) joining in with Emory Mossberger on the development front.
Just this past week the Mayor and Town Council voted to allow townhome devlopements, they want old town Dacula to become a MARTA stop, and yes, flipping permits for even more strip malls featuring dry cleaners, tanning beds, and nail salons. Now keep in mind they did widen a road, well at least a corner of a road anyway
Yes, Dacula wants to join Duluth and DeKalb, the Triple D (a little humor lingo) to be "Big Time". Nevermind the fact that they depend on the Gwinnett Police force for all safety and patrol, never mind the fact that with the help of the county government that kids are in trailers for classrooms, etc., just be "Big Time".

Your right, Dacula is not the concrete jungle yet, but again the local elected officials in that town seem to have lost reason and common sense when it comes to growth. Of course they like to use the term "Growing Pains" Well, IMO the pain is beginning to be rather acute.

Do we really want to be the next NYC, LA, North Jersey? Considering 7 out of every 10 folks heading here have the above tags on their cars running from the areas, than my thought process would be that we would not. But hey? if we are and you cannot stop the engine of overpopulation, can we at least get some good restaurants from those areas?

Sounds to me like the leaders of Dacula are pretty smart if they want to have a MARTA stop, are building townhomes and Emory Mossberger is involved in any way. Emory Mossberger is doing wonders for downtown Lawrenceville, and is also the genious behind the redevelopment of City Hall East.

I predict that the straw poll vote for MARTA to extend to Gwinnett will pass overwhelmingly next week. Face it Georgia - this is a huge and multifaceted metropolitan area now with people from every corner of the globe. If you want small, lilly-white and slow paced living, there is a ton of room still in Montana, Wyoming, etc. (and I am white).

[agradstudent77]

"I used to shop at Northlake Mall and get on MARTA at Avondale, and I never felt unsafe."

Are you suggesting that either of these activities are currently unsafe?

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by johnatl

Sounds to me like the leaders of Dacula are pretty smart if they want to have a MARTA stop, are building townhomes and Emory Mossberger is involved in any way. Emory Mossberger is doing wonders for downtown Lawrenceville, and is also the genious behind the redevelopment of City Hall East.

I predict that the straw poll vote for MARTA to extend to Gwinnett will pass overwhelmingly next week. Face it Georgia - this is a huge and multifaceted metropolitan area now with people from every corner of the globe. If you want small, lilly-white and slow paced living, there is a ton of room still in Montana, Wyoming, etc. (and I am white).

Oh, here we go again It has to do with race.
No John, just poor planning. For beginners "downtown" Lawrenceville was already developed, thus downtown. Dacula is not Lawrenceville nor is it City Hall East. Also on your "assumptions" as an FYI I have lived in Chicago, Philly, and a decade in NJ.
Maybe I can place this in elementary terms. Southern New Jersey went through the same thing that is now going on here during the mid to late 90's. The South Jersey folks for the most part issued their 51st State Bumper stickers and faught to no avail the invasion from Philadelphia and the bid to turn South Jersey into North Jersey.
Of course the folks who had short term mindsets thought it would be just wonderful, the next Uptopia. Yep, sure has.
Property taxes did not just double but grew ten fold. Same with utilities, and infrastructure decay. Mostly to pay for debt bonds, schools, etc., off the taxpayers backs while the genious developers walked away with their wallets full.

So, just to clairify. This has nothing to do with your prejudice, nor wide open spaces. Just common sense development with a "long term" approach on planning and not the old winky nod that has been going on for the last 2 years.