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Would it make sense for the City of Decatur merge with (absorb) Avondale Estates, and acquire classroom capacity from Dekalb County Schools?
The skinny:
Decatur has to add school capacity, and would like to add revenue. Avondale Estates needs a stable school system, and needs to better develop its commercial areas. Dekalb County could use cash from the sale/lease of vacant classrooms either in or directly adjacent to Avondale Estates.
The less-skinny:
Why this might work for the City of Decatur and Avondale Estates:
1) Both are already incorporated, share a (small) border, have similar demographics (AE 10% poverty rate 2010), and nice housing stock.
2) Avondale Estates does have a large commercial area, relative to its size and population (AE is 1.1 square miles), that would become more desirable, if part of Decatur. The low poverty rate and nice housing stock could mean that the added population would result in net gains in revenues.
3) Avondale Estates has less than 3,000 people compared to Decatur's 20,000- a 15% increase in population, while significant, seems as if it should be able to be absorbed, especially given AE's low poverty rate.
4) 20% of Avondale is under age 18, this would add maybe 400-500 school age kids. The number of excess “desks” in the Avondale area is much, much greater than that.
5) Avondale would gain stability for its school system, and home values.
6) New high school and middle school for Avondale Estates would be much closer than Druid Hills High/Middle.
Why this might be good for Dekalb County:
1) They could sell (or lease) their excess school capacity to Decatur-Avondale. Housing 300 students in the old Avondale High School has to be expensive. Recently renovated Avondale Middle is (as far as I know) vacant (Forrest Hills Elementary is already being leased out for the Museum school).
2) Could further drive development to the areas surrounding Avondale Estates.
While Decatur would love to get something for nothing (annexing Dekalb County commercial areas without acquiring any new residential population), it might make more sense to find a situation in which they would have a political partners that would also benefit.
Interesting. I'm pretty sure Avondale Estates wants to keep its own relatively quiet identity, and I wonder how many of them (or us) know where Decatur begins and ends (most of South DeKalb identifies as Decatur, including myself growing up, thanks to the post office). AE seems to prefer being its own peaceful hamlet
Decatur already has irons in the fire to expand school capacity on existing properties. I think you greatly underestimate the complexities and financial hurdles involved with annexing an entire city.
This would be a years and years long initiative. By then, the facilities improvements to accommodate school growth needed by CSD will already be implemented and functional. CSD cannot/will not continue to grow at the current pace in perpetuity. The "transition" of south Decatur, which has been a major driver in the school population expansion, is nearly complete. Another year or two of knock downs and there won't be any more elderly residents to replace with strollers.
Why does the commercial stock in Avondale suddenly become desirable if rolled into Decatur? If shops have struggled in the "Faux Hellen" village of Avondale Estates previously, they won't suddenly become a new hip destination simply because their mailing addresses change. Small businesses on the cusp on being annexed into Decatur during the last annexation standoff were vocally against the moves as it would have dramatically increased their taxes. What about being part of the City of Decatur makes commercial real estate along College ave more valuable than it is currently?
Red,
I phrased my post as a question, because I do not know if it is doable, or even a good idea. But, on the surface it seems at least worth thinking about (Decatur schools are overcrowded--the middle and high schools are already two story buildings without much outdoor rec space, DCS does have a lot of excess classroom space in the area, and AE does have a lot of potential for development that could be be beneficial to Decatur). Anyway, I will do my best to respond to your arguments.
Quote:
Originally Posted by red92s
Decatur already has irons in the fire to expand school capacity on existing properties. I think you greatly underestimate the complexities and financial hurdles involved with annexing an entire city.
Just keep the "complexities of annexing an entire city" in perspective: AE's entire population is the size of a large Georgia high school. It might not be easy, but it seems as if it should be a manageable task. "Irons in the fire" --expanding two story buildings without much rec space vs. existing buildings with on-site outdoor recreation facilities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by red92s
CSD cannot/will not continue to grow at the current pace in perpetuity. The "transition" of south Decatur, which has been a major driver in the school population expansion, is nearly complete. Another year or two of knock downs and there won't be any more elderly residents to replace with strollers.
I am not sure what the upper limit is on Decatur growth, so you may be right. There certainly seems to be a lot of pressure to expand further.
Quote:
Originally Posted by red92s
Why does the commercial stock in Avondale suddenly become desirable if rolled into Decatur? If shops have struggled in the "Faux Hellen" village of Avondale Estates previously, they won't suddenly become a new hip destination simply because their mailing addresses change. Small businesses on the cusp on being annexed into Decatur during the last annexation standoff were vocally against the moves as it would have dramatically increased their taxes. What about being part of the City of Decatur makes commercial real estate along College ave more valuable than it is currently?
Of course being part of the City of Decatur affects the desirability of residential and commercial properties--as the development of what currently is Decatur becomes saturated adding additional CoD area will lead to more development. I think having current Decatur City kids go to schools located in Avondale Estates would help develop people's perception of Avondale as part of Decatur, and investment and desirability of the area will follow. In the early 90s parts of downtown Decatur was similar to Avondale Estates commercial area today, I would think that the development of Avondale as part of Decatur would be quicker (there is that much more momentum).
Last edited by jeoff; 06-04-2013 at 02:45 PM..
Reason: Type-o
With the incorporation movement excelerating, all ideas should be on a radar. I see this as beneficial to Avondale residents primarily because it gets them out of the troubled DeKalb County Schools and into the stable Decatur schools. It would have to be as beneficial to the city of Decatur and its school system to warrant a win-win situation. If properties that are owned by the county could become available without an all out war ensuing, that does make an interesting scenario.
Outside of the school situation, I don't see any other pros for either community.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Saintmarks
With the incorporation movement excelerating, all ideas should be on a radar. I see this as beneficial to Avondale residents primarily because it gets them out of the troubled DeKalb County Schools and into the stable Decatur schools. It would have to be as beneficial to the city of Decatur and its school system to warrant a win-win situation. If properties that are owned by the county could become available without an all out war ensuing, that does make an interesting scenario.
Outside of the school situation, I don't see any other pros for either community.
As pretty a picture is painted on CD about Decatur's school system, they, like every other school system, are financially strapped. I just don't see them wanting to take this on.
Red,
Just keep the "complexities of annexing an entire city" in perspective: AE's entire population is the size of a large Georgia high school. It might not be easy, but it seems as if it should be a manageable task. "Irons in the fire" --expanding two story buildings without much rec space vs. existing buildings with on-site outdoor recreation facilities.
The potential annexation of other smaller parcels, which failed, has taken year(s?). Decatur can't afford to go through 2-3 years of annexation talks and planning and debating while holding off on expanding their own buildings, just to have it fall through. They just can't wait that long for a "maybe" solution, which is why shovels are already in the ground to expand some current facilities. Buying the schools at fire-sale prices from Dekalb would be great for CSD, but they can't risk going down that path for years and coming out with nothing to show for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeoff
I think having current Decatur City kids go to schools located in Avondale Estates would help develop people's perception of Avondale as part of Decatur, and investment and desirability of the area will follow. In the early 90s parts of downtown Decatur was similar to Avondale Estates commercial area today, I would think that the development of Avondale as part of Decatur would be quicker (there is that much more momentum).
If this were true, small business that would have been annexed in the last round would have been vocally in favor of it. Instead, many of them were worried about the increased tax burden. Don't discount that the 1996 Olympics did a good bit to accelerate development in and around downtown Decatur, and that won't be an easy economic driver to replicate. Even looked at some of the houses on Clarendon, right near downtown Avondale Estates? They are . . . not small. It's not like there isn't disposable income in that area already. My point it's not like the current residential population of Avondale Estates isn't spending dollars there because they don't have dollars to spend. If a business can't hack it there now, changing the mailing address won't help them.
The potential annexation of other smaller parcels, which failed, has taken year(s?). Decatur can't afford to go through 2-3 years of annexation talks and planning and debating while holding off on expanding their own buildings, just to have it fall through. They just can't wait that long for a "maybe" solution, which is why shovels are already in the ground to expand some current facilities. Buying the schools at fire-sale prices from Dekalb would be great for CSD, but they can't risk going down that path for years and coming out with nothing to show for it.
Everything would not have to happen at once, or even happen at all. Dekalb has extra capacity at Avondale High, which just a few years ago housed both Avondale High and the School for the Arts. If DCS was receptive, a lease could be worked out fairly quickly to house "East Decatur High" and the School of the Arts (and maybe a middle school).
When all school systems are "strapped for cash," it seems pretty silly not to look at options that could work out for both systems. Really, this option could/should be considered regardless of any city merger.
Quote:
Originally Posted by red92s
If this were true, small business that would have been annexed in the last round would have been vocally in favor of it. Instead, many of them were worried about the increased tax burden.
This would, of course, be very different than annexing a handful of businesses that few had any idea if they were incorporated prior to annexation, and few know if they are incorporated now--for no other reason that folks in Decatur would know that it is Decatur, because it would be where their kids go to school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by red92s
It's not like there isn't disposable income in that area already. My point it's not like the current residential population of Avondale Estates isn't spending dollars there because they don't have dollars to spend. If a business can't hack it there now, changing the mailing address won't help them.
There are only 3,000 residents in Avondale Estates. That is not many folks to support a large commercial district (which is also why it would be expected to result in a net positive for generating tax income). For it to thrive, it needs to be a destination (like L5P, VaHi, Decatur, etc.). It really has that potential. Being part of Decatur would definitely encourage additional investment in the area, and could be expected to expand its appeal.
Last edited by jeoff; 06-05-2013 at 05:26 AM..
Reason: Type-o's
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