Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss has confirmed that Rep. Karla Drenner has included Decatur Terrace, a neighborhood of 147 residential parcels south of East College Avenue on Decatur’s eastern border, in her Decatur annexation bill that she introduced to the legislature on Monday.
Decatur Terrace petitioned the City of Decatur back in October 2014 for inclusion in its annexation plan, but wasn’t ultimately included in the city’s Annexation Master Plan.
The partial Decatur annexation bill only includes the annexation of parcels within Rep. Drenner’s district.
That said, all of this may be for naught. Rep. Drenner told Decaturish the other day that she has doubts whether any of the annexation bills will pass the Legislature this year.
“That said, all of this may be for naught. Rep. Drenner told Decaturish the other day that she has doubts whether any of the annexation bills will pass the Legislature this year.”
So one could interpret this as appeasing her constituents there– without much risk–since it’s unlikely to get approval from the DeKalb delegation anyway.
Or it could be interpreted that both CoD and Drenner are for sale. CoD told Decatur Terrace “No Thanks” six months ago, but now that CoD needs Drenner (or anyone) to sponsor the bill, these properties magically are the subject of the annexation bill.
Yep.
So most of the commercial property has been removed and additional residential has been added?
Do the commissioner get to vote on the final map?
I don’t think so bc it’s a bill going through the General Assembly at this point. BUT I don’t know for certain.
Maybe DM can get some comments from commissioner. The only (marginally rational) justification for annexation has been to improve the commercial tax base. If that is not what is occurring, I expect them to put a stop to it.
You know, we have heard pretty much nothing from the commissioners; I hadn’t thought about it like that. As residents, we seem to get our annexation info from Peggy Merriss. I’d like to hear from the commissioners, too!
I’ve reached out to the Mayor for reaction.
DM, thank you so very much. I’d so love to see the other four commissioners go on record with their opinions about this partial legislation situation.
Thanks for the feedback. I broadened the request and asked them all if they had reaction to the Decatur Terrace addition.
Maybe the Commissioners get to decide if it goes on the ballot for residents of those areas (i.e. pull the plug and start again next year).
If only they would take Katie Kerr too (wishful thinking, I know)
Wonderful news!
Rep. Drenner is an excellent representative of her districts.
Decatur Terrace includes Arcadia Avenue from Craigie to College, and Arcadia was on the original Decatur Annexation Master Plan, so this makes perfect sense.
CKD, you’re being sarcastic, right?
Not a bit.
It does make sense. And Karla does listen, and does seem to want to make decisions based on justice, sustainability, and ethics.
CKD, are you saying that it is unethical and unjust that many (most?) residents in the city of Decatur do not want to annex Decatur Terrace?
Let me guess – you live in Decatur Terrace?
+1
Obviously, it is more important to listen to these folks than the current residents of Decatur.
How about the residents of Dekalb County that don’t get to vote but loose tax base?
Here is a thought. She removes all the commercial property in the next draft. This will leave only residential for annexation into City of decatur. More kids for a better education. I am sure the Dekalb Delegates will approve it.
For those Decaturites who are in Drenner’s district, she is your representative too. If you are not happy with the proposed annexation, email or call her and tell her that. This may be the only way to have your voice heard.
404.656.0202
[email protected]
Projected future statement from commission – “We didn’t want this annexation map, but the legislature passed it”.
I won’t buy that excuse. The legislature won’t pass a map that is objected to by the commissioners publicly.
Unless they come out against these revisions, they are for them.
Yes, all the more reason to communicate with your representatives directly. The legislators represent the citizens, not the commission.
So apparently not only do the citizens of Decatur NOT get a vote on what areas might be annexed, but neither does the Mayor, Board or the City Manager.
Rep Drenner includes a neighborhood that Decatur doesn’t want to annex in a bill that she knows won’t even be voted on so that she can tell the neighborhood that she supported them in their push to get into Decatur. Decatur spends a lot of money on meetings, expert projections and lobbying and will get almost the exact opposite of what it wanted if the bill were to pass.
Our tax dollars at work.
Since the bill has not yet passed, now is the time to let your opinions be known to Representative Drenner and the rest of the DeKalb delegation. If you think Decatur is getting a raw deal, let them know.
You can find their contact info here – http://www.lavistapark.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Legistlators-Email-Addresses.pdf
You have got to be kidding. What a joke. Come on commissioners and mayor publicly kill this annexation bill. All this does is give us more students.
It’s not going to be long before that constitutional amendment gets passed allowing cities to join together and form independent districts. Very soon after these are created, I can see the US Justice Department taking a lot of interest in how those are set up…
Agreed.
is there a legible map that shows the exact Decatur Terrace area she wants annexed?
What if DeKalb County just adopted the same school system that Decatur has had so much success with? Maybe hire someone from COD to come in and run the Dekalb school system?
That’s not likely to work. Dekalb has about 100k students compared to Decatur’s 4-5k. You just can’t compare the two systems. It is partly Decatur’s very small size that makes it so successful, which is why many citizens want to keep it small.
Blame Drenner and the Dekalb Democrat House delegation for this and all the other problems.
Here come more apartments?!
I have nothing against them per se, but in addition to the mammoth complexes on Dekalb Industrial (leading to the Kroger plaza which appears to remain in the annexation plan), it would seem Decatur Terrace now sweeps in the Twin Oaks apartment complex. I don’t know how CSD is expected to survive the addition of hundreds of units that will be new entry points for the school system, and I don’t buy the rationale that we only need to count 3-bedroom units.
Not accurate, according to the bill. The apartments are 15 248 16 016.