Plans unveiled for North Decatur cityhood initiative

By Collin Kelley

Proponents of a new city in North DeKalb County aren’t giving up. From the ashes of previous cityhood efforts – Vista Grove, LaVista Hills, Lakeside City, and Briarcliff – comes a new plan: the City of North Decatur.

The City of North Decatur won’t be happening this year since the legislative session wrapped up in April. Still, 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 contacted 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 would no longer exist, making way for the North Decatur City Initiative.

As proposed, the City of North Decatur would extend 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 at northdecaturcityinitiative.org.