In the last few weeks, City of Decatur and it’s surrounding areas has been attempting to finalize their annexation plans. The state House Govermental Affairs Committee gave the communities until this past Saturday, November 15th to submit their proposed annexation maps. Chariwoman Representative Amy Carter, R-Valdosta, also stated that if the groups missed their deadline a panel of five House members would be appointed to draw the maps.

City of Decatur

The City of Decatur annexation plan proposes a huge challenge for the city’s school system. Enrollment studies estimate that the city’s school system will grow to 7,398 students by 2020 without annexation. If the city is able to annex the 1.6 square miles in its current plan, it would increase that number by 747. According to the same report, if Decatur does not annex property residents will suffer higher taxes and the school system will have operating deficits.

City of Decatur is working to complete its final annexation master plan by December 1st – if they succeed, the School Board would consider a resolution in support of that plan on December 9th and the City Commission would consider approving it on December 15th.

Today’s Reality

• Whether or not to move forward with an annexation plan has not been decided.
• City of Decatur Schools and the city’s commissioners are working together because if a plan is adopted, it needs to serve and enhance all of the public needs in the community.
• If the past is any indication, City of Decatur schools will continue to face enormous pressures in the next five years and moving forward into the future. Those pressures may not be able to be addressed within the existing city limits so annexation has to be explored.
• The option of annexation will not exist in the future – once the area surrounding the existing city limits is part of an incorporated city, there will be no choice and it is very likely that in the next 3-5 years, the City of Decatur will be surrounded by other incorporated cities.

Briarcliff, Lakeside, and Tucker

Unfortunately Briarcliff and Lakeside were unable to find compromise with Tucker. Initially State Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Brookhaven, said that the deadline would not be extended, but Amy Carter decided to give them the weekend.

On Monday the Lakside and Briarcliff cityhood initiatives announced that they would be merging under the new name of Lavista Hills. If they are succesful, Lavista Hills will become the largest city in DeKalb County with approximately 72,000 resients. The combined groups will work diligently in the coming weeks to ready their bill for the 2015 legislative session. Tucker did not agree to any annexation in their city.

Other Neighborhoods

DeKalb’s current cities have also been preparing maps of their own for the legislative session in January. A summary of the citites current interests:

• Druid Hills wants to annex into Atlanta along with Emory University. Together in Atlanta initially proposed this plan with support from many residents who were a part of the Druid Hills Charter Cluster movement. This plan includes plans to annex Briar Vista Elementary, Fernbank Elementary, and Druid Hills High into Atlanta. Avondale Estates would then lose their high school – there’s no official word on what would happen to Avondale’s school feeder pattern. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed supports Together in Atlanta’s proposal.
• Decatur Terrace and Rio Circle are in Avondale Estates’ annexation plans but would prefer to be in Decatur’s. However, Decatur has taken the position that these areas are in Avondale’s annexation plan so they are not trying to annex them.
• Medlock wants to be annexed into a city and take the Suburban Plaza shopping center with it. City of Decatur wants the shopping center but doesn’t want to include the homes of Medlock neighborhood because its school system already faces enrollment issues. To learn more about how annexation has challenged City Schools of Decatur, click here.

Below is an up to date map of the current proposed DeKalb County Annexation maps:

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zdijzU8ixgkM.kNu1oHunGk7A&w=640&h=480]

From your Desktop: To zoom in on the map click the “plus” sign in the bottom right hand corner of the map or do a double left click on any uncolored portion of the map. To zoom out, click the “minus” sign in the bottom right hand corner of the map or double right click on any uncolored portion.

You can also zoom in and zoom out by putting your mouse pointer over the map and using the scroll wheel.

To remove all of the coloration from the map, click the tiny box in the upper left hand corner of the map that looks like a bulleted list. It display a drop down menu. When you see the menu, click on the little box that says “proposals.” This will remove the annexation and cityhood proposals from the map. To add the proposals back, simply check the box again. You can also check and uncheck boxes for individual annexation and cityhood proposals.

From your phone or mobile device: Android and iPhone users can zoom in and out by using their thumb and index finger to enlarge and reduce the map, the same process for zooming in and zooming out of photos.

[Sources: Decaturish, Decatur Metro, AJC.]

How do you feel about the proposed annexation? Leave your comments below!

Do you need Real Estate advice? Please contact me at NoraSells@KW.com or 404-840-2918.

– Nora Levesque

To keep your fingers on the pulse of the Decatur and Atlanta Real Estate market, this is the place to be.