Smyrna annexation could make it largest Cobb city, but stymie Mableton

[lorilove]

In a letter from the Mayor of Smyrna - here are his comments regarding this study:

Annexation

There have been a few news reports recently highlighting the annexation study and the results of that study that were reported to the city council at a committee meeting six weeks ago. Some of those reports paint the picture that Smyrna intends to aggressively annex land around our city limits to achieve a population of 90,000+ people. I want to clear up any misunderstanding about what that study was and where we are in the process.

This was just a study – not a proposal. It was originally conceived to address the unincorporated islands in the city that create challenges for service delivery.

Your city council has not discussed the study at length as a body or come up with any recommendations on if or how to proceed. In fact, only Thursday did I appoint a council committee to begin analyzing the results of the study and make a recommendation to the full council. So I ask that everyone please step back, relax, and understand that your city is not planning a large secret land grab or anything of the sort, as has been represented by some media. We are simply beginning to look at this, and will update citizens as we make progress.

[whodean]

Originally Posted by Gulch

It actually does include the Home Depot HQ, the "Home Depot" listed on the map is where the store is (HQ is OTP).

Nope. HD HQ is in unincorporated Cobb.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by whodean

Nope. HD HQ is in unincorporated Cobb.

That is correct, though the map showed the location of the nearby store (which is ITP) and not the HQ (which is OTP).

[Datdudebrah]

IMO the Cumberland/vinings area should be swallowed up or incorporated also.

[whodean]

Originally Posted by Datdudebrah

IMO the Cumberland/vinings area should be swallowed up or incorporated also.

Why?

The commercial part of Cumberland is already self-taxed by the CID that provides funding for improvements within the CID boundary.

I live in Vinings, I don't hear any neighbors clamoring for annexation. Cobb County runs the area efficiently, few residents see the need to raise property taxes for better representation.

I lived in Brookhaven when residents voted to incorporate into a city and I was a vocal proponent because County representation for that part of Dekalb was **** poor. But I don't see that being the case here Vinings at all.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by whodean

I live in Vinings, I don't hear any neighbors clamoring for annexation. Cobb County runs the area efficiently, few residents see the need to raise property taxes for better representation.

My inlaws live near Canoe and they and their neighbors are fine with local governance. I also suspect that they like having the Atlanta address but the Cobb County taxes (as every real estate listing there seems to hype up). The only grumbling I've heard are about the public schools that serve the area and the locals paying taxes for them, even more so since most affluent people that move there do so to be in proximity to Lovett/Westminster/Pace.

[Bamaman1]

Not that attractive place to live for me with or without consolidation of the cities.

I like the other side of I-75 and East Cobb much better.

[Born 2 Roll]

Smyrna’s annexation of neighboring land will not include most of the territory within the proposed city of Mableton, according to Smyrna officials. The decision was made at an Aug. 5 meeting of Smyrna’s annexation committee, which includes council members Tim Gould, Travis Lindley and Lewis Wheaton. The committee discussed a study conducted on the city’s behalf that analyzed the costs and benefits of annexing certain areas, including a large swath of the proposed city of Mableton.

Smyrna to avoid Mableton in annexation efforts (News Break/Marietta Daily Journal)