Druid Hills residents to consider joining Atlanta (Decatur: wealthy, suburban)

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by AtlantaIsHot

I don't know why they are even bothering to try to create maps or boundaries. Given the open hostility from many here and at the meetings, the people of Druid Hills are going to hamstring Atlanta again. They will block Atlanta again from their perceived paradise. I guess the people of Georgia and the Atlanta area don't want a big city and Atlanta's suburbs will remain boss.

Most people will vote in their self interest, and, even then, staying in Dekalb is probably the more altruistic choice--Atlanta will do just fine with or without Emory, the CDC, Fernbank and Druid Hills (most folks assume they are part of Atlanta anyway)--but, this would be real blow to folks left in Dekalb and its schools.

[AtlantaIsHot]

Originally Posted by jeoff

Most people will vote in their self interest, and, even then, staying in Dekalb is probably the more altruistic choice--Atlanta will do just fine with or without Emory, the CDC, Fernbank and Druid Hills (most folks assume they are part of Atlanta anyway)--but, this would be real blow to folks left in Dekalb and its schools.

Atlanta will do just fine if you consider being forever locked into it's current size with no future path to expand "doing fine," and if you consider fewer than 500,000 citizens and struggling to experience sizable population growth "doing fine." I'm not sure I buy the argument that the enormous ring of powerful suburbs ought to be able to outmaneuver and seemingly strangle the small city proper at every turn. All while basing it on silly preconceived notions of the past and an inherent prejudice.

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by AtlantaIsHot

Atlanta will do just fine if you consider being forever locked into it's current size with no future path to expand "doing fine," and if you consider fewer than 500,000 citizens and struggling to experience sizable population growth "doing fine." I'm not sure I buy the argument that the enormous ring of powerful suburbs ought to be able to outmaneuver and seemingly strangle the small city proper at every turn. All while basing it on silly preconceived notions of the past and an inherent prejudice.

Yes, "doing fine". If atlanta expands its borders, or if it doesn't, it can have a good economy, nice parks, a solid infrastructure, safe streets, a world class airport. Personally I don't understand the obsession with population growth, but there is still substantial opportunity for infill and population growth within Atlanta's current borders.

[jsvh]

If Druid Hills annexation makes it to a public vote this November, I don't think it will succeed. But I think other DeKalb cityhood and annexation proposals will, and Druid Hills will realize that CoA is their best option in a few years. Plus I think if the annexation vote fails, Emory might just annex themselves in to Atlanta on their own.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by jsvh

If Druid Hills annexation makes it to a public vote this November, I don't think it will succeed. But I think other DeKalb cityhood and annexation proposals will, and Druid Hills will realize that CoA is their best option in a few years. Plus I think if the annexation vote fails, Emory might just annex themselves in to Atlanta on their own.

Reading all sides of this issue and without a dog in this fight, I think you are spot on.

[jero23]

Originally Posted by AtlantaIsHot

Atlanta will do just fine if you consider being forever locked into it's current size with no future path to expand "doing fine," and if you consider fewer than 500,000 citizens and struggling to experience sizable population growth "doing fine." I'm not sure I buy the argument that the enormous ring of powerful suburbs ought to be able to outmaneuver and seemingly strangle the small city proper at every turn. All while basing it on silly preconceived notions of the past and an inherent prejudice.

That's why this region is so retarded in the way it operates. It's interesting that other central cities in other states can and have expanded over the years such a simple fashion whereas when you know a city has a certain demographic as a majority then there is suddenly "corruption" and other imaginary problems based on prejudiced...

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by AtlantaIsHot

I don't know why they are even bothering to try to create maps or boundaries. Given the open hostility from many here and at the meetings, the people of Druid Hills are going to hamstring Atlanta again. They will block Atlanta again from their perceived paradise. I guess the people of Georgia and the Atlanta area don't want a big city and Atlanta's suburbs will remain boss.

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

If Atlanta were successful on both this and the South Fulton annexations, I do believe the city would pass the 500k mark. Any thoughts?

Nobody is going to care whether or not Atlanta gains 60k residents by expanding it's city limits. That's not going to make Atlanta all of a sudden a world class city. It will still have the same subpar urban core and downtown regardless. SF is 49 square miles and a far better city than Atlanta ever be in the next 5 decades. D.C. and Boston aren't much larger.

Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Phoenix all have more people in their city limits than Boston and D.C., but Boston and D.C. are far better and more walkable cities.

This "Georgia and Atlanta area don't want a big city" notion is ridiculous. How about Atlanta actually tries to grow organically instead of being like every other ****ty sunbelt city by annexing hundreds of square miles and inflating it's population values when it's people per square mile density is extremely low for world standards.

[jero23]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Nobody is going to care whether or not Atlanta gains 60k residents by expanding it's city limits. That's not going to make Atlanta all of a sudden a world class city. It will still have the same subpar urban core and downtown regardless. SF is 49 square miles and a far better city than Atlanta ever be in the next 5 decades. D.C. and Boston aren't much larger.

Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Phoenix all have more people in their city limits than Boston and D.C., but Boston and D.C. are far better and more walkable cities.

This "Georgia and Atlanta area don't want a big city" notion is ridiculous. How about Atlanta actually tries to grow organically instead of being like every other ****ty sunbelt city by annexing hundreds of square miles and inflating it's population values when it's people per square mile density is extremely low for world standards.

I personally could careless about the hard numbers game of any municipality. Honestly, when it comes to the urban street life and affordability in the South, New Orleans beats the most cities in the nation hands down.

However, when you have hundreds of fiefdoms that are nothing but glorified neighborhoods that are doing nothing but contributing to regional sprawl by constructing nothing but low-density developments and "exclusive enclaves" versus one entity attempting to construct a more sustainable development pattern then I'm for the latter than the former. The Druid Hills annexation is up in the air because their is this desire be a part of another feifdom, but the South(West) Fulton annexation seems more likely to occur.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Nobody is going to care whether or not Atlanta gains 60k residents by expanding it's city limits. That's not going to make Atlanta all of a sudden a world class city. It will still have the same subpar urban core and downtown regardless. SF is 49 square miles and a far better city than Atlanta ever be in the next 5 decades. D.C. and Boston aren't much larger.

Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Phoenix all have more people in their city limits than Boston and D.C., but Boston and D.C. are far better and more walkable cities.

This "Georgia and Atlanta area don't want a big city" notion is ridiculous. How about Atlanta actually tries to grow organically instead of being like every other ****ty sunbelt city by annexing hundreds of square miles and inflating it's population values when it's people per square mile density is extremely low for world standards.

Every time the metro area grows in raw numbers and the city of Atlanta stays dormant, it does hurt the city of Atlanta. Of the major metro areas in the country, only Miami has a smaller percentage of the metro population within it's limits. You want a dense walkable city? You want to have more sway in regional and state affairs? Well you need to have more than 8% of the metro area within your city limits.

I don't know why anyone who is pro Atlanta pooh pooh this.

[arjay57]

I am okay with annexation as long it is at least revenue neutral. The city is up against the wall financially and it would be crazy to take on more area/residents unless there is a way to pay for it.

There is tons of undeveloped and underdeveloped space within the present city limits. Unless there is a net funding gain, we'd be much better off focusing on improving the quality of life in the existing city.