E. College Annexation Effort Goes Before Delegation Tomorrow
March 23, 2009 | 8:39 amThe AJC’s April Hunt reports that Decatur and Avondale’s effort to annex the retail strip along beautiful E. College Ave will go before the county delegation tomorrow.
According to Hunt, Avondale has failed twice in the past to get the necessary 10 signatures, due in large part to opposition by property owners in the area.
Avondale wants to annex 22 parcels, while Decatur wants 10. Neither small land grab will do much to help contribute to city coffers, but it is certainly in both cities’ interest to clean up this strip.
How can the two cities “clean up this strip” ? They will not own the land, buildings or businesses. They will just be collecting more real estate tax and sales tax.
girl, the cities can enforce building and zoning codes and provide better police protection. BTW, cities do not collect sales tax.
The businesses aren’t the sole source of the strip’s downtrodden character. The cities can provide street, sidewalk and infrastructure enhancements; they can also provide greater predictability in the long-term evolution of the strip through master plans and associated zoning regulations, which makes redevelopment by the private sector more attractive.
There have been many complaints by some of the businesses that AE and Decatur are just trying to take their money but little discussion of how these businesses’ continued disinvestment/disinterest in their properties devalues neighboring property in both AE and Decatur. It’s not just about one taking money from the other. People need to acknowledge that that knife cuts both ways.
Though there may well be other reasons for this annexation, this takes place and has to be considered in the context of the Decatur-Avondale LCI. (DM & Scott — I’ve been trying to do my homework!) This involves a major new vision of the potential of the area around Avondale MARTA station, the core of which would be an extensive mixed-use development between E. College, Katy Kerr, and Columbia (roughly).
The mater plan (funding, I believe, by the Altanta Regional Commission) can be found at the City of Decatur website.
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According to one of the Avondale Commissioners, Rep. Benfield has dropped the annexation attempt for this legislative year. Per his statement that includes the annexation for both sides of Sam’s Crossing, Decatur and Avondale. Supposedly she was unable to get the 10 signatures needed to proceed. Again, per his statement, she will present the same agenda for next year.
Good news; Fresh from the GA Legislation …..
The city’s (Avondale) request of the Georgia Legislature to allow it to annex 23 commercial properties bordering East College Avenue and Maple Street, west of its city line to Sams Crossing, won’t happen this year under the Gold Dome.
State House Representative Stephanie Stuckey Benfield informed the city on Monday that she was unable to secure the required 10 signatures to move the legislation forward by yesterday’s 4 pm deadline.
“I’ve never gotten the 10 signatures in the past,” Rep. Benfield was quoted in Monday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution regarding the signatures needed from 10 members of the DeKalb County House Delegation. “But it makes sense, and it’s something that is important for that area.”
Also stalled is the City of Decatur’s request to annex 10 commercial properties bordering Sams Crossing, east of its city line to Sams Crossing. The goal of both cities is to extend its borders to meet at Sams Crossing, eliminating the unincorporated island that currently separates the two cities.
The Board of Mayor and Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution at a March 18th Special Called Meeting in support of the proposed annexation. Rep. Benfield represents both cities and said Monday night she will continue to champion the effort during next year’s legislative session.
Helme, who wrote this article? Can’t find it anywhere online…