Should Buckhead secede from Atlanta and join Sandy Springs? (North Atlanta: real estate, mover)

[BackinAction11]

Hello, just wanted to inform everyone of a little "gossip" that I have overheard. Apparently word around the innards of Buckhead is if Buckhead resident Mary Norwood does not win this Mayor's election, that a Buckhead group would start a campaign to leave Atlanta and join Sandy Springs.

In case you didnt know, they cannot become thier own city because their already is a Buckhead, Georgia. Sandy Springs would probably be very happy to have them.

It could stay Buckhead, but just be Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Georgia instead of Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia.

Now you dont have to beleive me, as I have no facts to back up my statements, but I did get this info from a reliable source!

[blondandfun]

It just seems kinda weird to have a primarily residential neighborhood become a city. A neighborhood lacking a lot of business activity.

[jurban8]

Originally Posted by blondandfun

It just seems kinda weird to have a primarily residential neighborhood become a city. A neighborhood lacking a lot of business activity.

Um...we're talking about Buckhead, right? Major office towers, major shopping, major hotels. Lenox area ring a bell?

[atlantagreg30127]

Well, talks about Buckhead becoming it's own city have been going on for a few years, not just with the start of this Mayoral election period.

Sam Massell used to be the Mayor of Atlanta years ago. He was the last White Mayor the city has had, having lost to Maynard Jackson. He has since then always played key parts in the development of the City, and especially in the Buckhead area, where he helped form the "Buckhead Coalition Inc.". His unofficial title among residents in that area is the "Mayor of Buckhead".

An article via 2004 about him: 'Mayor of Buckhead' now perennial promoter - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

Now, publicly, he has always said he supports current leadership and all that, but folks I've talked to who work for the City have said that he's less than thrilled with the downward turn in some areas the City has taken under the last couple of leaders. He has considered running for office again in the past, but apparently decided to leave it to the younger crowd and continue the work he does now. Rumors are rumors, but I think based on what I've heard, he's not quite as thrilled as what he tells the media, and I would suspect he would at least entertain the idea of supporting Buckhead as it's own city if things don't improve.

Why not? Their money fuels much of the City, yet, they have to deal with the same leadership, the same police/fire furloughs, money mismanagement, etc. If they were their own city, they'd have much more $$$ than Atlanta, and would be able to fund a top-notch police/fire area. They have two MARTA rail stations, higher-end shopping districts, office high rises, etc. They have even talked about a monorail or people mover system that would ferry people all over the Buckhead area which under the current City's budget would NEVER happen, but under THEIR income/budget, could probably happen. Massell is a very charismatic man - he could easily woo larger companies and businesses to set up shop in Buckhead as an official Mayor. I met him once years ago and he's just one of those people you instantly like and feel comfortable with.

Of course, if this happens, kiss Atlanta as you know it goodbye. A decent chunk of money in Atlanta's city vaults comes out of Buckhead. There would no doubt be tons of legal battles as to where Buckhead actually has boundaries, as Atlanta would fight for every inch of real estate that might fall within the estimated boundaries. Sounds radical, but in THEORY, such an event could technically turn the City of Atlanta into a small city (receiving fewer Federal dollars as a result), while Buckhead could be the "new" large city in Georgia as it would continue to prosper and grow. This would lead to the next chaper... if this were to happen, no doubt you'd see communities such as Brookhaven push to be annexed into the new Buckhead City... then maybe Vinings (?)... the list goes on.

[onemanarmy]

This topic is silly. This is not like unincorporated Dunwoody or Sandy Springs deciding to become their own city. Buckhead is a neighborhood in the City of Atlanta. In order for it to create it's on city is IMPOSSIBLE politically. If it was easy to annex places the City of Atlanta would have already annexxed unincorporated South Fulton.

[AcidSnake]

My fear is that things in Metropolitan Atlanta will be even MORE disjointed & haphazard than they are now. The problem with this state is that the old generation refuse to groom a new crop of leadership. Sometimes you need a fresh set of eyes to look at things and see what needs improving.

As it is now us Generation Y'ers have it difficult enough with trying to transition to adulthood( being pushed out the market by jobs that require 20 YEARS experience, houses that are overpriced, lack of entry-level positions) without the old heads trying to hoard the opportunities.

Yep, you got old folks who are set in their ways and have an absolute refusal to change their thought patterns to reflect an ever-changing world. You know what? I hope that Buckhead becomes a city, just so that people from other parts of the U.S. if not the world will see Georgia as one big schizophrenic clusterf--- that can't get its act together.

When the going gets tough, what do people do? Run away like little kids, rather than talk it out like adults. That's the south in a nutshell, and I dare someone to tell me otherwise.

[afonega1]

If it ever came to pass,Atlanta as we know it would not be a real city.Buckhead needs Atlanta too.Its really a bad idea for the whole region.Nothing good would ever come out of such an idea.When are people in this state gonna realize that we got to find a way to live together.(class and race wise).You cannot contain the drugs and crime in one area.Stuff spills over.We gotta work together and stop trying to separate ourselves,Look at whats happening in Mexico and how its spilling over into the U.S.I hope the day never comes that we will wind up being Detroit.

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by afonega1

If it ever came to pass,Atlanta as we know it would not be a real city.Buckhead needs Atlanta too.Its really a bad idea for the whole region.Nothing good would ever come out of such an idea.When are people in this state gonna realize that we got to find a way to live together.(class and race wise).You cannot contain the drugs and crime in one area.Stuff spills over.We gotta work together and stop trying to separate ourselves,Look at whats happening in Mexico and how its spilling over into the U.S.I hope the day never comes that we will wind up being Detroit.

My thoughts exactly. It's bad enough that the Metro Atlanta Area can't even get together on a good transportation plan with all of these cities and counties refusing to see eye to eye. Now, we have neighborhoods within cities wanting to secede. What's next, City of Midtown? City of Edgewood? Ponce DeLeonville? Where does it end? Will Atlanta even exist in 20-30 more years?

The older generation(represented in my opinion by Mayor Franklin, Sam Massell, Sonny Perdue, among others) either needs to talk it out or step out of the way, because this increasing balkanization will not bode well for Atlanta's future. Just my two cents, of course...

[big daryle]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

My fear is that things in Metropolitan Atlanta will be even MORE disjointed & haphazard than they are now. The problem with this state is that the old generation refuse to groom a new crop of leadership. Sometimes you need a fresh set of eyes to look at things and see what needs improving.

As it is now us Generation Y'ers have it difficult enough with trying to transition to adulthood( being pushed out the market by jobs that require 20 YEARS experience, houses that are overpriced, lack of entry-level positions) without the old heads trying to hoard the opportunities.

Yep, you got old folks who are set in their ways and have an absolute refusal to change their thought patterns to reflect an ever-changing world. You know what? I hope that Buckhead becomes a city, just so that people from other parts of the U.S. if not the world will see Georgia as one big schizophrenic clusterf--- that can't get its act together.

When the going gets tough, what do people do? Run away like little kids, rather than talk it out like adults. That's the south in a nutshell, and I dare someone to tell me otherwise.

A lot of members of Generation Y are spoiled brats, and need and deserve the humbling they are getting right now.

[BringBackCobain]

I think everyone is underestimating how drastic Atlanta is changing. Its adding an average of 13,000 residents per year. It is also getting whiter by the year, something that many people in Buckhead have probably noticed. I think by the time this could even come to fruition Atlanta will probably have a white mayor and a lot of Buckhead residents will be satisfied.

Im in Generation Y, but I guess I dont share the same views of "working things out." In my opinion, screw Atlanta. They have taken money from Buckhead for years and used it to support south Atlanta. Buckhead taxes are sky high. Busing carried out by the city of Atlanta school system ruined Northside and North Fulton High School, the old Buckhead high schools, and North Atlanta is the result of that where 95% of the students arent even from Buckhead. Atlanta has done nothing good for Buckhead, besides giving it the bragging rights of being within the boundaries of a major city.