The Future of DeKalb County

How the Proposed New Cities Will Transform DeKalb County

This map incorporates the decision of the House Governmental Affairs Committee regarding the final boundaries for the proposed City of Tucker and the proposed City of LaVista Hills. Also shown are the current annexation plans for Decatur, Avondale Estates and Stone Mountain.

The talked about annexation of Druid Hills by the City of Atlanta is also included, although it has little change of ever happening. That proposal will have to be approved by the DeKalb Delegation of the General Assembly as a Local Bill, a remote possibility given how this proposal will devastate the DeKalb County School District.

Both the proposed City of Stonecrest and the City of South DeKalb are also indicated, although neither proposal is likely to be considered in the next legislative session. The city limits for South DeKalb have been adjusted from their current proposed map, in deference to the future annexatioin interests of Stone Mountain, Pinelake and Clarkston.

The recently approved annexations for Doraville and Brookhaven are fully incorporated. Note the islands now found between Doraville and LaVista Hills, as those voters recently rejected the Doraville annexation. Will they be forced into LaVista Hills? That seems to be Sen. Millar's intention.

Kevin Levitas Tries To Keep It Up - Even MORE Sophomoric Ranting! (Sigh . . .)

Kevin Levitas Just Can't Stop Digging That Hole of His

On his personal blog, ex-Representative, ex-Democrat, and ex-LCA-co-chair Kevin Levitas continues to expound upon his epic failure to pass the LCA sponsored Lakeside incorporation bill in this past legislative session, and persists in blaming everyone but himself. In this particular article he is focusing on Tucker's proposed map, and what he seems to think was the motivation behind its proposed border. He couldn't be more wrong. 

I am reposting his article here, in its entirety, as a service to the Tucker community. My personal response follows.

Perusing his blog, I have three suggestions for Mr. Levitas:

1.  Man up and grow a pair!

2. Get some help on your graphics. (All images below are from his blog article. Don't blame me.)

3. Keep trying! As we all know 'Practice Makes Perfect!'

Enjoy the repartee, after the break!

The Andrew Young School

The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies is one of the two organizations prequalified to perform the city feasibility study required by the State as part of the incorporation process.  Their website can be found here.

A sample of one of their studies can be found here.  This was a study performed by AYS on behalf of DeKalb County concerning the revenue impact upon the County resulting from the incorporation of Dunwoody.

From the Fact Sheet on the AYSPS website:

A Tale of Three Cities

A Tale of Three Cities

As a gesture of love and reconciliation, I've assembled three maps in an effort to bring together the three competing city hood efforts.  Currently, we have groups representing Lakeside, Lavista Hills (or Briarcliff) and Tucker.  Each have developed maps that overlap the others.  As we move through this process we will have to learn, at some point, to compromise.  Let this be the start of that conversation.

A pdf version of the maps can be found here.

One potato, . . .

The City of Lavista brings everyone together, into one, big, happy family.  This city takes its name directly from Lavista Road, which spans this proposed city from one end to the other.  This City would have approximately 135,000 residents.

Zero. Nada. Not Going to Happen.

Schools and the City of Tucker, Part II

Much of the interest in forming a new city is focused on the idea that a new city, or group of cities, could form a new, independent school district, wholly separate from the DeKalb County School District (DCSD).  It has been routinely and repeatedly stated by all the new city advocates that, under current law, there is absolutely no possibility of that happening.  To rephrase that, the new cities will have absolutely no effect upon the how the schools are managed, how attendance lines are drawn or how DCSD chooses to use its resources.

Zero. Nada.  Not going to happen.

So, if anyone’s interest in supporting the formation of a new city is mainly because of their hope that this could make a major difference in the local schools, they need to look elsewhere.  This thought has surfaced so many times, and has been so thoroughly discounted at every opportunity, it is difficult to understand why this issue will simply not go away.

Cluster Charter – Autonomy and Flexibility.

That doesn’t mean there are no other options. The one option available today is the Cluster Charter. The . . .

Zip Codes in the City of Tucker

Attached is a map of the proposed City of Tucker which shows the zip code areas found within the city limits. We've included this in an attempt to demonstrate that there is absolutely no cause and effect relationship between zip codes and political boundaries.

Zip code 30084 includes much of Tucker, but not all of it.  It also includes part of the Northlake area and significant areas within Gwinnett County.  Northlake Mall itself is located in 30345.

Zip code 30087 covers much of Smoke Rise, but no part of the City of Stone Mountain in DeKalb County. Its post office is located in unincorporated Gwinnett County, which is also referred to as Stone Mountain.  The SRCA has worked with the USPS to allow Smoke Rise residents to use Smoke Rise, Georgia as their mailing address.

Zip code 30040 is commonly referred to as Doraville, even though that zip stretches way down into the north side of Tucker.  No one in that area truly believes they are a part of Doraville.

Zip codes are service areas established by the US Postal Service for their convenience only.  It has everything to do with delivery routes and mail volume, and NOTHING to do with political boundaries, county lines, cities, or neighborhood concerns.  There is no relationship whatsoever.

Zip codes should not be used as some sort of validation or argument for the inclusion or exclusion of any particular area within any of the new proposed cities.

The Carl Vinson Institute

State law requires that any proposed new city first have a financial feasibility study conducted by either the Carl Vinson Institute: The University of Georgia or by The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies: Georgia State University.  These studies will cost each organizing committee approximately $30,000, and must be completed before any municipal incorporation bill moves forward in the Georgia General Assembly.

Attached are three recent studies conducted by the Carl Vinson Institute for the newest cities in DeKalb County, Dunwoody and Brookhaven, and for the newest city in Gwinnett County, Peachtree Corners.

These are being made available to those who would like to understand exactly what the studies do, what they may contain, and how they reach their conclusions.

State Government in the City of Tucker

Following are maps indicating state legislators and the areas they represent within the proposed City of Tucker.

The Georgia House of Representatives in Tucker

The Georgia Senate in Tucker

Schools in the City of Tucker

Schools in the City of Tucker

The City of Tucker public schools are all part of the DeKalb County School District (DCSD).  There is one high school within the City, Tucker High School, while the proposed city boundaries also include areas assigned to both Lakeside and Stone Mountain High Schools.

Tucker High School's feeder schools includes Tucker Middle School and Livsey, Midvale, Smoke Rise Charter, Brockett and Idlewood Elementary Schools.

Lakeside High School's feeder schools with students living inside the City include Henderson Middle School, and Pleasantdale, Evansdale, Henderson Mill and Briarlake Elementary Schools.

Stone Mountain High School's feeder schools include Stone Mountain Middle School and Stone Mill Elementary School, although there will be no students actually living within the City, as the included areas are 100% commercial.

A common question regarding forming a new City is whether or not this would also allow the City to form an independent school district, wholly separate from DCSD.  The answer is a definite NO, as the Georgia State Constitution specifically disallows the creation of new school districts within the state.  A constitutional amendment will be required to allow the creation of a new independent school system.  Some state legislators have begun the process of enacting a bill to allow a statewide vote on such a constitutional amendment which, if it ever happens, will be several years in the making.

Commercial Areas in the City of Tucker

City of Tucker Commercial Areas

This map delineates commercial areas found in the City of Tucker.  By area, these areas constitute approximately 30% of the total area of Tucker.  Major commercial areas include downtown Tucker, Stone Mountain Industrial Park, the Royal Atlanta Industrial Park, Northlake Mall and the Lawrenceville Highway / Hugh Howell Road corridor.

Review of the Population of the City of Tucker

City of Tucker Population

This map reviews the current population data for the proposed City of Tucker through the use of information from the US Census, 2010.

For the proposed City of Tucker, as shown:
 - Total Population 49,831   White 54% / African American  29% / Other  17%

For the Tucker CDP:
 - Total Population 27,581   White 63% / African American  22% / Other  15%

For DeKalb County:
 - Total Population  691,893   White  33% / African American  54% / Other  13%

The City of Tucker would constitute 7% of the total population of DeKalb County.
The Tucker CDP would constitute 4% of the total population of DeKalb County.

Voting Districts in the City of Tucker

Voting Districts in the City of Tucker

On February 27, 2014, Tucker 2014 developed a new map for Tucker, showing 3 Voting Districts. According to Tucker 2014, there will be a total of 6 City Councilmen where 3 are elected from just from within each district, and 3 are elected city wide, but the candidates for each of the 3 large districts must come from just one district. For example, for the District 4 seat, all candidates must reside in District 1, but are elected by a city wide vote.

(This paragraph and map are now VOID.)
The City of Tucker shall have a 5 member City Council, each Councilman to represent approximately 10,000 residents.  The proposed city government will use the Strong Mayor / City Council / City Manager format.  The Mayor will chair the City Council, but will only vote in the case of a tie.  The Mayor will have the power to appoint the City Manager, with the approval of the Board, set the Board meeting agenda, and have the power of veto.  The Board can override the Mayor's veto with a super-majority of 4 to 1.

The Proposed New City of Tucker, Georgia

The Proposed City of Tucker

Added March 3, 2014 - A new map for the proposed City of Tucker, as developed by Tucker 2014 for filing with the city charter bill in the General Assembly.

The proposed new City of Tucker would be located in northeast DeKalb County, Georgia.  The map illustrates central core area based on a longstanding CDP designation from the US Census Bureau.  Around it are found four adjacent areas, each with their own identity, which may be included within the new city boundaries.