New City Proposed for East Cobb

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by 10 feet tall

I don't see what the advantage would be for East Cobb to become a city. It already has fantastic public schools, county services, and is a great place to live. And all at lower taxes than surrounding areas. What exactly would they gain? I can see why Dunwoody and Sandy Springs would benefit from cityhood, but not East Cobb.

That was my initial thought as well, although if the residents vote for it, so be it. It's not as if the county isn't providing proportional or adequate police, fire, or other county services. Maybe there have been zoning issues of which I'm unaware. If that's the case, then I would assume the move would end up more like Peachtree Corners than Dunwoody.

[cabasse]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

Guess they'd put City Hall in the nicest Kroger shopping center

bwahaha

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by aries4118

I can define the rough boundaries of the five cities if anyone would like.

I wanna see a map! You can do it!

I think four is better, consolidate your Willeo Park and Sope Creek into a new city of Johnson Ferry... it would be the largest. Sandy Plains is a natural, don't like the name Noonday Creek, sounds to hick, would go for the old school name of Blackwell for the Canton Road corridor. Wesley Chapel or Garrison Mill for the upper NE corner. Sweat Mountain would be good if it weren't called Sweat Mountain.

[atlantagreg30127]

For the non-record, the chatterboxes in my area of Cobb have said that yes, this is allegedly a political move by someone, not only due to the upcoming runoff election, but also for possible future political motives (as in to be Mayor of that new town, appoint personal friends to positions, etc - not uncommon in many areas throughout the country, though). Cobb's demographics are changing and it's fairly rapidly becoming internationally mixed. As with many places, not everyone is happy about that, and an East Cobb city would be a lot more homogenous and conservative in nature than parts of the "new" Cobb. As with most, it's politics politics and planning politics.

And thank you all so far for keeping it civil.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

For the non-record, the chatterboxes in my area of Cobb have said that yes, this is allegedly a political move by someone, not only due to the upcoming runoff election, but also for possible future political motives (as in to be Mayor of that new town, appoint personal friends to positions, etc - not uncommon in many areas throughout the country, though). Cobb's demographics are changing and it's fairly rapidly becoming internationally mixed. As with many places, not everyone is happy about that, and an East Cobb city would be a lot more homogenous and conservative in nature than parts of the "new" Cobb. As with most, it's politics politics and planning politics.

And thank you all so far for keeping it civil.

A year or two back it was leaked (without really investigating to the idea) that Lilburn was interested in incorporating much of the area in the Lilburn zip code and expand the city borders mainly south.

Because, they never investigated the idea, they really didn't offer any reasons why people should want to join Lilburn city.

So the idea was shot down before it began. People instantly formed against and figured it as a money grab.

However, Lilburn is a rapidly changing area, but also a diverse area and has been for a long time now.

One theory I've had floating in the back of my mind is after the mosque uproar many people within Lilburn started to see just how close the voting population of the city is from changing over from a mostly conservative long-time local base to a very diverse base that has been building up for a long time.

Lilburn only seems to be looking south to expand its borders, which is more single family homes, better schools, changing... but a bit slower.

I couldn't help but to think some people realize they could delay the change in voting patterns by a decade or two if they succeeded in annexing that large area.

If it was purely a money issue... I would push for annexations down US 29 and Indian Trail and offer better zoning and police patrolling (ie. things alot of commercial property owners want to pay more in taxes for).

But they were targeting mostly single-family homes, which would come with pricey road maintenance, etc...

but I can't really make any accusations... it was just telling they annexation was by a large amount... in one one direction.

The other side to this is for a long time Lilburn had a number of "anti-business" laws, which have since been removed. For awhile some commercial properties in the city didn't do well, while some properties just outside the city along Indian Trail did alright. The issue was they were preventing bars, alcohol sales, discouraging package stores, billiards, darts (fun games of any type really). The older base in the area didn't care for these. It was mostly the newer people in the area fueling most any commercial demand. End result... the strip mall along Indian Trail & Dickens had higher rents and lower vacancy rates. Anyways, much of that is past us... but its always been in the back of my mind that it was partly people not wanting to adjust to a population shift.

As for East Cobb... the main thing that sticks out in my mind is alot of new cities want alot of industrial/commercials areas within their borders. Not necessarily, because people want to live near those areas. Those areas just add a great deal to the tax digest.

I would look at Peachtree Corners as an example. That was a huge land grab. They were afraid other cities nearby might annex really valuable areas. By taking them those areas first, they can keep taxes lower. They incorporated with really expansive borders that took valuable properties that were originally closer to the core of other cities. Peachtree Corners now "hugs" the much smaller (spatially) Norcross and gives Berkley Lake and Duluth a nice "nudge"

There is a little bit of opportunity, but not a lot. I'd be really curious to see the borders and see how local business owners would react.

[StAubin]

There is no room in east cobb for new industrial or office space. It is pretty mutch built out residential.

I have always thought that the corner of Johnsons Ferry and Roswell Rd would make a nice town center, but that could be accomplished without incorporating.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

I wanna see a map! You can do it!

...

I won't be able to make a map, but I can describe in this way--


1. Take a look at this map of the East Cobb high school disticts: http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice...Zones_High.pdf

2. The City of Sope Creek--Basically the entire Wheeler district east of I-75, the southwestern 1/4 to 1/3 of the Pope district, the Chattahoochee Plantation area of the Walton district (except the northern part), all of the Walton district that stretches west of Sope Creek.

3. The City of Willeo Park--the rest of the Walton District, plus the part of the Pope district along Bill Murdock Road and Bishop Green Road.

4. The City of Shallowford Heights--the rest of the Pope district and all of the Lassiter district.

5. The City of Sandy Plains--a major part of the Sprayberry district stretching from Blackjack Mountain to Holly Springs Road, to Maybreeze Road and mostly staying east of the railroad tracks. More like a big, quaint village.

6. The City of Noonday Creek--the rest of the Sprayberry district and all of the Kell district.


City centers*:
Sope Creek--in and around intersection of Roswell Road and Robinson Road.
Willeo Park--Parkaire Area strecting north to Johnson Ferry/Roswell Road intersection.
Shallowford Heights--Shallowford Road and Johnson Ferry Road intersection.
Sandy Plains--the Sprayberry Crossing area.
Noonday Creek--Canton Road/Jamerson Road intersection and then stretching south.

*The city centers can be created over abandoned/under-used shopping centers and where there is an over-supply of parking lots and parking spaces. All of the aforementioned city center areas meet this criteria.


Also, each East Cobb city can develop smaller village/districts within their boundaries, in addition to the city centers:

Sope Creek
Terrell Mill District
Chattahoochee Plantation District
Old Canton Crossing

Shallowford Heights
Mountain View-Highland District
Sweat Mountain Village
Trickum Crossing

Sandy Plains
Yet-to-be-named district/village for West Oak/South Canton Road area

Noonday Creek
Black Well District
Wade Green Village
Barrett Park District (new name for the poorly-named Town Center Area)
Hawkins Store Crossing or Bells Ferry Crossing

Willeo Park
No village/disticts--just a mega city-center district.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

...

I think four is better, consolidate your Willeo Park and Sope Creek into a new city of Johnson Ferry... it would be the largest. Sandy Plains is a natural, don't like the name Noonday Creek, sounds to hick, would go for the old school name of Blackwell for the Canton Road corridor. Wesley Chapel or Garrison Mill for the upper NE corner. Sweat Mountain would be good if it weren't called Sweat Mountain.

No--I think five is best. However, if there had to be less, I think three is best. I will describe:

Looking at my post above--

1. I would combine Sope Creek and Willeo Park into one city called East Marietta. City center would be where I designated it for Willeo Park.

2. Shallowford Heights and Noonday Creek would stay as is and keep their names and city centers.

3. Sandy Plains would either be added (entirely) to Noonday Creek, Shallowford Heights, or East Marietta. The boundaries for Sandy Plains would be a good addition and a good fit for any of the other three cities.

So, if we are to have five East Cobb cities:
Sope Creek
Willeo Park
Shallowford Heights
Noonday Creek
Sandy Plains.

If there are to be only three East Cobb cities:
East Marietta
Shallowford Heights
Noonday Creek

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

This seems to be a growing trend...


Byrne floats idea for an East Cobb city


The Marietta Daily Journal - Byrne floats idea to create seventh city

They should name it Stepford.