Proponents of a new city in North DeKalb County aren’t giving up just yet. From the ashes of previous cityhood efforts – Vista Grove, LaVista Hills, Lakeside City, and Briarcliff – comes a new plan: the City of North Decatur.
With the current state legislature session ending next week, the City of North Decatur won’t be happening this year, but it’s already got the backing of Democratic state Sen. Sally Harrell, who is preparing a proposal for the new city, according to a report at Decaturish.
The group behind Vista Grove sent out an email on Tuesday stating it had been in contact with legislators who represent the area “about a different plan for a city, encompassing much of our previous area, and adding others.”
The email said the Vista Grove Initiative will no longer exist, making way for the North Decatur City Initiative.
As proposed, the City of North Decatur would extends from Embry Hills in the north to Atlanta, Decatur, and Avondale Estates in the south. It is bounded by I-85 on the west and I-285 on the east (excluding the portions within the cities of Brookhaven, Tucker and Clarkston) and includes a population of approximately 82,000 people.
Upon creation, the City of North Decatur would be responsible for planning and zoning, roads and drainage, and parks and recreation. The new city would partner with DeKalb County on public safety and other services, including the DeKalb County Police Department.
There’s a new North Decatur City Initiative website, and Sen. Harrell is planning a virtual town hall on April 7 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.