You Could Wake Up Living in Atlanta Whether You Want To or Not

Sandtown’s small group of annexation proponents are at it again. They have requested and filed paperwork to be annexed into Atlanta along with Loch Lomond. What is unusual about the annexation request is about 15 or so homeowners in Enon Pines Subdivision my old neighborhood are included. Some of those homeowners live along the property line that backs up to Sandtown Park which is adjacent to Randolph Elementary and Sandtown Middle School. Both schools are included in the annexation request. What’s really odd is the rest of the subdivision is not, I repeat not part of those requesting to be annexed based on the map [Courtesy Georgia Unfiltered]. Unlike the 2006 map the vast majority of the subdivision appears to want no part of the annexation.

There’s a little matter related to the 60% of property owners and 60% of registered voters that has to be presented. Those documents have not been presented as far as I know. If you live in any of the communities being affected and don’t want to be annexed you should contact Atlanta and Fulton County letting them know you are not interested in being annexed. Better still, you should demand the signatures be verified. Parents of students at Randolph and Sandtown should definitely get out and let their voices be heard. Theirs a reason they may have went after those schools and not Westlake, more than 600 parents showed up back in late March to say no. Randolph and Sandtown parents should seek to have they voices heard as well.

Someone riddle me this? What fire department will service this new area? What police patrol that isn’t already stretched thin will service this area. Where will the other students who are not annex go to school. What happens to the Fulton School District employees? The answer – no one knows. One thing is for sure those seeking the annexation don’t really care. If I was Fulton Fire Department, Atlanta would need to pony up another $750k to cover these new areas in Sandtown and Loch Lomond.

It’s now up to Fulton County if and when the petitions are presented. I do know those wanting to annex the community will not stand before the community to answer questions they were given two opportunities in March and April. Both times they decline to stand up and speak to their position. At some point a community hearing should be announced. That’s when those against the annexations should come forth and let it be known.

Those not wanting annexation should request verification of all signatures presented. The item if it goes through will be presented to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners meeting on May 6th.