Georgia House Panel to Take Up Tucker-Lakeside Cityhood Proposal

The question of whether Lakeside and Tucker should become cities has ignited debate in DeKalb County, including those residents who want nothing to do with a new city identity for where they live.

"(The cityhood proposal) divides Stone Mountain, and puts it into the city of Tucker, so that we'll now have a Tucker address," Robert Stamper, a Stone Mountain resident, told WGCL TV. "Hurrying through all these things at the last minute in the legislature, then rushing to get to a May 20 vote on it, for the primary, is not right."

His neighbor Thom Deloache agreed, and said he has concerns with what he sees as a lack of transparency as lawmakers vote to decide on whether or not to allow a Tucker-Lakeside cityhood referendum.

"It's being pushed along without a chance for it to not be confusing," said Deloache. "It's unelected folks meeting with elected folks, drawing maps without the input of others."

The Georgia House Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled to meet at 3:30 p.m. Monday to discuss the cityhood proposal.

The legislative session ends Thursday.

Some residents in Lakeside, Briarcliff, and Tucker want to incorporate. So far, only Lakeside has a bill passed through a chamber of the General Assembly, reports Georgia Pubic Radio. The new city, as called for by Senate Bill 270, would encompass the area just north of Emory University and run well past I-285 to the DeKalb county line.

Briarcliff’s efforts to become a city are dead for this session, reports WABE radio. Lakeside struck a compromise with Tucker, which leaves only Lakeside’s bill still alive for this year, and Tucker having to wait until 2015.

The Tucker/Lakeside deal puts Northlake Mall in Lakeside’s proposed boundaries. The dividing line between the two would-be cities was drawn along Lavista Road, with Lakeside getting the north side of the road, and Tucker claiming the south side, the station reports. 

Click here to see the map of Lakeside as of March 13, 2014.

Other posts on the topic:

Hearing Focuses on Push by Three DeKalb Communities to Become Cities

Next Steps for Cityhood? Clear as Mud for the Moment

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How Many People Remember Central DeKalb Pre-285?

As DeKalb Cityhood Drives Heat Up, Decatur Refocuses on Annexation