Decaturish reported yesterday that the one interesting tidbit out of the recent DeKalb Government Operations Task Force Meeting was…

The groups behind the proposed cities of Lakeside and Briarcliff announced that they will pursue city status together.

“We’re dating right now,” Lakeside City Alliance Chairwoman Mary Kay Woodworth said, standing next to City of Briarcliff Initiative member Allen Venet. “We’re not married yet. We’re not engaged.”

A joint effort would obviously have more chances of passing the state legislature come January, since – as the map from June 2013 shows – the two city initiatives have been interested in incorporating parts of the same area into their respective cities.  A fiscal feasibility study on a city of Lakeside back in 2013 estimated the population to be around 63,000 residents, the largest city solely in DeKalb County.

A combined Briarcliff/Lakeside city (Briarside?  Lakecliff?) would assumedly host an even larger population.  For reference, Brookhaven’s population is currently around 49,000 residents, while Dunwoody stands at around 46,000.

As reported a few days back, Decatur is planning an Annexation Master Plan, which is in direct response to escalating desire of the unincorporated areas on the northern border of the city to create their own cities within DeKalb County.

Map courtesy of MANA website

With all the recent annexation talk – big and small – this continues to be quite relevant to all DeKalb residents. From Atlanta Intown this morning…

The three cityhood movements – Briarcliff, Lakeside and Tucker – have not gone away and are actively meeting and planning for consideration during the 2015 Georgia Legislature session. All three efforts failed to gain the necessary votes to get referendums on this year’s ballot.

Supporters of the City of Briarcliff Initiative will speak Wednesday, July 2, at 6 p.m. to the DeKalb Operations Task Force at Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, in Decatur.

Ann points to this updated map on the City of Briarcliff Initiative Facebook page that says the initiative has been encouraged to defer to existing city’s annexation plans.  I’ve reached out to the city to see if they have any official response.

The City of Briarcliff Initiative sent out this press release/reminder today…

Briarcliff to Present at Wednesday January 22nd Joint Meeting of the DeKalb Delegation

Atlanta, GA, January 22, 2014 — The City of Briarcliff Initiative will present at a joint meeting of the DeKalb House and Senate delegation. The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Manual Maloof Auditorium on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. The event starts at 6:30 p.m.

Briarcliff presented at the Capitol in a joint meeting of the DeKalb Delegation of the Georgia House and Senate earlier in the month on Thursday, January 9, 2014. A follow up public meeting that allowed public questions and answers was requested. The Wednesday, January 22, 2014 meeting at the Maloof Auditorium follows the below agenda.

• 6:30 p.m. – 6:40 p.m. Welcome and Introductions
• 6:40 p.m. – 7:25 p.m. DeKalb County Board of Education
• 7:25 p.m. – 7:40 p.m. City of Briarcliff Initiative
• 7:40 p.m. – 7:55 p.m. Lakeside City Alliance
• 7:55 p.m. – 8:10 p.m. City of Tucker Initiative
• 8:10 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. Interim CEO Lee May
• 8:50 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Citizen Question and Answers

To Maloof Auditorium is located at 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur, GA.

Building on the news and discussion yesterday surrounding the city of Decatur’s short-term plans to pursue annexation in the coming year – mostly to areas northeast of the city – residents looking to create a City of Briarcliff sent in this announcement this morning.

The City of Briarcliff Initiative announces Briarcliff has been confirmed to be the most feasible cityhood plan currently proposed for central DeKalb County by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia.

Atlanta, GA, December 16, 2013 — The City of Briarcliff Initiative has scheduled a Tuesday, December 17, 2013 press conference to officially announce the results of an independent cityhood feasibility study. The study, conducted by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia has confirmed that Briarcliff is the most financially feasible cityhood plan currently proposed for Central DeKalb County.

The press conference is scheduled for Tuesday, December 17, 2013, 2:00pm at the Toco Hills Shopping Center near 2105 Lavista Rd. A follow up public meeting to review the results of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government study will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2013, 7:00pm at Briarcliff United Methodist Church (4105 Briarcliff Rd. NE, Atlanta GA).

“An independent study has confirmed what so many in central DeKalb already knew that Briarcliff is positioned to be the most sensible city for central DeKalb,” explains Allen Venet, President of City of Briarcliff Initiative. He adds, “Our proposed city has a strong blend of residential, commercial and industrial areas. Our map is smart and does not abandon neighborhoods. We believe the members of this community deserve the chance to publically vote on Briarcliff cityhood.”

Map Above: “A very preliminary draft” of future annexations by the City of Decatur to prepare for City of Briarcliff

“…it is likely that by 2018, all of DeKalb County north of Memorial Drive will be located in either an existing or new city.”  Those are the words of Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss in a memo to the City Commission.

As such, Decatur needs to get it’s often messy, complicated and controversial annexation house in order.

Over the past 5 years or so, Decatur officials have struggled to pass a larger scale annexation bill to incorporate more commercial property inside the city limits.  Opposition has come from both sides, with unincorporated DeKalb residents balking at Decatur’s higher tax rate and groups city residents cringing at the addition of any more residential property that could overwhelm the city’s popular school system.

Well there’s now another ship on the horizon – the City of Briarcliff.  According to a letter from the City Manager to the Commission as part of the agenda for tonight’s meeting, “the proposed borders of the City of Briarcliff surround the existing City of Decatur northern city limits on all sides. Once the city is surrounded by other municipal borders, our city limits are set and there will be no capacity to change. Basically, the city limits will be permanently set.”

Ms. Merriss suggests that the City of Lakeside – which runs along the southern side of the I-85 auto-river up in North DeKalb – has Republican backers in both the Georgia House and Senate, is the city most likely to be created in the coming legislative session in January.  But that doesn’t mean that Decatur or any of the other existing DeKalb cities aren’t going to begin getting their annexation ducks in a row now.  Again, the City Manager…

“…we anticipate putting together for your consideration in January 2014, a project budget proposal to include professional demographic, financial, capital planning and market analysis assistance to review and analyze potential annexation options and the impacts on the community. This group could also provide assistance and expertise with the efforts of the community-based committee’s work.”

She also states that the city should make sure that this potential annexation be a part of ongoing community discussions with the school system regarding enrollment and facilities, as well as maintaining good communication with the neighboring city of Avondale Estates to make sure that the cities’ plans are consistent.

2014 should be interesting.