After years of waiting and months of debating, speculating, pontificating and regurgitating, tonight the Decatur City Commission votes on the City Manager’s annexation recommendation.  What’s the recommendation?  Like you don’t know.  Well, all right.  Here’s Ms. Merriss’ official words to the commission…

Based on the City Commission’s objectives, public comment and a cost/benefit analysis (see Attachment A), it is recommended that the City Commission consider asking the General Assembly to adopt legislation annexing areas A.3 and B.3 and annexing partial parcels where the majority of the existing lot is already within the city limits or where the residence is located in the city limits.

What do those two larger parcels look like?  Details…

The two areas include primarily commercial properties. There are approximately 56 parcels in area A.3. There is one appears to be a single family residence and one is an apartment complex that serves Emory University students; the other 54 are commercial. There are 102 parcels in area B.3. Forty-two are commercial or multi-family apartments. There are 60 single-family residences located primarily in two developments, 31 in Manor Walk and 29 in or adjacent to Medlock Commons. Combined there are 158 parcels of which 61 (39%) are residential and 97 (58%) are commercial. The City Attorney has reviewed the Georgia Code sections applying to annexations and he has offered his opinion that a referendum is only required if the area to be annexed is more than 50 percent residential. Because these two areas are less than 50% residential, it appears that a referendum would not be required if both areas are annexed.

OK, that’s about….wait.  Sorry, just a bit more.  Next steps…

• Accept the 100% petition from 5 residents of Midway Woods that was submitted before the annexation review was started and proceed with that request;
• Work with the property owners on Derrydown Way to develop a petition to be considered in the future by the City Commission;
• Have a conversation with the United Methodist Children’s Home to determine the future of annexation for that property; and,
• Develop standards for acceptance of new petitions from residential property owners.

Click over to the materials for tonight’s meeting for more info.  Also included, a cost-benefit analysis and a letter from Superintendent Phyllis Edwards to Ms. Merriss regarding to school system’s view of the potential annexation.

UPDATE: Deanne points out that Medlock residents are joining with CHCA in opposing annexation.

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Yesterday, Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss stated that the City Attorney Brian Downs “did not believe that a referendum would be required if the properties annexed by local Act of the General Assembly were less than 50% residential.”, according to Patch.

Not 24 hours later, the Clairmont Heights Civic Association website has launched a petition stating “strong opposition” to annexation.  Here’s the petition in full…

We the undersigned strongly oppose the City of Decatur plan to annex several commercial properties along North Decatur Road. The inevitable tax increases will undoubtedly be a hardship for the tenants and owners of these properties, which are owned by families and individuals who have been long-time owners of their centers and have served our community well. To rip them out of the unincorporated area in order to enrich the Decatur city coffers seems excessively greedy, not in the best interest of surrounding neighborhoods, and in serious conflict with the positive image the City of Decatur has cultivated for years. We are also extremely concerned that our own property taxes will also have to be raised to cover the loss of their tax contribution to the county coffers. We are residents in and around the affected areas, and we strongly urge you to drop your plans to annex these properties.

Patch reports this evening that Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss this evening recommended during the annexation work session that the City Commission only annex two heavily commercial areas, the Suburban Plaza bright green parcel on the map and the purple Emory Commons (Publix) parcel in the northwest.

Some single-family homes and apartments are also included in these parcels, but a total count of potential new residents wouldn’t be available until Tuesday morning.  However, the CSD’s annexation study group estimated in October that it could anticipate 40 new students initially in the purple area (A) and 77 if the green area (B) if annexed.

Due to the fact that so many parcels in these two areas are commercial, the City Manager suggested that this annexation may not require a referendum.  (Think the recent College Avenue annexation.) Speaking of which, according to Patch, Mayor Bill Floyd noted that such an annexation attempt could take years considering how long the College Avenue commercial annexation took.  Of the other parcels, Ms. Merriss said that the city should annex the United Methodist Children’s home eventually and should continue to work with residents in surrounding residential areas who still desire to be annexed by Decatur.

The Powerpoint of the city manager’s presentation should be posted to the city’s website Tuesday morning.

 

While the Beacon Hill complex is under renovation, City of Decatur staff is recommending that 7,500 square feet of space be leased in the Well Fargo building at 250 East Ponce de Leon Avenue for approximately $10,500/month.

According to Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon in a letter to City Manager Peggy Merriss…

The property will be used to provide office space for the Decatur Police Department’s administration, uniform patrol and criminal investigation divisions while the Beacon School Municipal Complex is under development. Funds are available for this in the Capital Improvements fund balance.

The city commission will take up the recommendation tonight at it’s regularly scheduled u-shaped table fun-fest at Decatur City Hall starting at 7:30p.

Photo courtesy of Google Streetview

A few weeks back, we opened the floor to questions regarding the potential annexation of multiple commercial and residential neighborhoods surrounding the city of Decatur.  It took us longer than it should have to compile and send the questions over to Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss, but eventually we got it done and yesterday received replies back to all of the submitted questions.

See below.  Questions are bold and underlined.  The city manager’s answers follow.  According to the City Manger, these Q&As will also be added to the annexation FAQ located on the city’s website.

Where is the city in the annexation process right now?  What are the next steps?

• September – November, 2012: Information and feedback meetings scheduled & background information refined.
• October 22, 2012:   Public Meeting at Decatur City Hall; 6:00pm-8:00pm.
• November 6, 2012: Petition Deadline.
• December 3, 2012: Final City Commission work session and public hearing.

• December 17, 2012: City Commission receives recommendation. Considers adoption of an annexation resolution.

If the City Commission adopts a plan, then:

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