Press Clips

Norcross considers expanding city limits
Council wants to improve quality of life in area

Gwinnett Daily Post
(Reprinted by permission from the Gwinnett Daily Post)

By Camie Young
Senior Writer

NORCROSS — The Norcross city limits could soon stretch east to Interstate 85.

At a council retreat Friday, council members gave the go-ahead to city officials to work on the proposal, which would give the city more say in cleaning up a crime-ridden community.

"We could focus on really improving quality of life there," Councilman Charlie Riehm said of the area bounded by Buford Highway, Brook Hollow Parkway, Beaver Ruin Road and Jimmy Carter Boulevard. "Gwinnett County simply doesn't have the resources."

In that area, Norcross' city limits are irregular, causing some neighborhoods to have houses in different jurisdictions and some businesses with the parking lot in the city and the building in the county. Mayor Bucky Johnson said the business dilemmas, in most cases, date back to discrepancies in liquor laws.

"There certainly are some places where annexation is logical," said Commissioner Bert Nasuti, who represents the area on the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners.

The annexation idea first surfaced several years ago, but Riehm said it was shelved after a volatile election. He said he believes the idea could have more public support, since the county, the city and the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District have placed a new emphasis on improving the area.

"We can code enforce it better and we can police it better," Councilman Keith Shewbert said.

Nasuti said he doesn't agree with that comment, but said he is open to talking about the issue.

"The city certainly does a good job (providing services), but we do, too. We've worked hard in that area," which was one of the first tackled in the county's Operation Fixing Broken Windows effort several years ago.

"The most important thing is the citizens get good services, and I don't think they care who gives it to them," Nasuti said.

Eunice Drake, who has lived in a neighborhood off Jimmy Carter since 1974 said her community could use some help.

Over the past decade, the traditional family life in the area has changed with more immigrants and different standards. Some of her neighbors haven't kept up their property, leaving trash around and parking cars in yards.

"It just keeps going backwards now," she said. "I'm sure it's going to go down fast."

Drake said she was not aware of the city's proposal and did not know how it would impact her neighborhood.

"I haven't thought about it much," she said. "So far, except for the trash and mess, I don't think there has been much problem here."

Chuck Warbington, the director of the Gwinnett Village CID, noted that the annexation is unusual in that cities often attempt to incorporate commercial areas that provide for a potential boost in tax revenues.

"It's tough residential. We are having crime problems with it. We are having quality of life problems," Warbington said. "It's interesting for the city to take hold of the area and try to help."

The area in question is largely residential and has comparatively low property values, but council members asked City Manager Warren Hutmacher to look into annexing other high-value property to offset the costs of providing services in the higher-crime community.

At Friday's session, councilmen mentioned the possible incorporation of land north of the city, but Nasuti said he would be loath to give up control of "Peachtree Corners proper," his own community that voted in 2005 against incorporating.

But Riehm said he didn't believe the city would be taking a loss in incorporating to I-85.

"If we can improve the quality of life in that area, we'll actually end up with better living conditions and more taxes."

Warbington said the city has already taken steps to start the improvement - applying for a grant to study both the incorporated and unincorporated section between Jimmy Carter and Beaver Ruin.

Hutmacher, though, said the annexation would likely not be complete until 2009. He was directed to begin negotiations with the county, but the annexation will likely have to come through a decision in the Georgia General Assembly.