Future Peachtree Corners Mayor Weighs in on Annexations

There is a lot of misinformation going around about a pending bill (HB 956) in the State Legislature that affects the City boundaries of Peachtree Corners and Berkeley Lake.  I am concerned that decisions could be made on City Council candidates based on this misinformation, rather than the facts.   

The real story is that once the Governor signed the bill for our City, the neighboring municipalities immediately attempted to annex surrounding (mostly commercial) properties in order to shore up their tax base.  They did this believing that Peachtree Corners could not legally block these annexations until it was official on July 1, 2012.  I opposed these "grab while you can" annexations and have always advocated that the boundaries should remain as originally approved by the Governor. 

Because we were not yet a City, and had no legal authority, I raised our objections to our elected officials, Representative Rice and Senator Shafer, about the annexation by the City of Berkeley Lake of Pinckneyville Park, West Gwinnett Aquatic Center and commercial properties along Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. I also raised concerns that Berkeley Lake might attempt additional annexations through July 1.  I believe their legislation is a well-intended effort to stop the annexations and generally avoid a messy lawsuit between the two Cities.         

As for my role, I met to discuss this issue with property owners, Mayor Salter, and our Legislators, all in an unofficial capacity, in an effort to retain our original borders.  As of this date, there has been no final vote on the annexation legislation in the Senate.  If you do not support this legislation, please let your State Representative know how you feel.

Final point, please make your decision on City Councilmen based on whether they share your vision for our City, their integrity, and their overall qualifications for the role.   

If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me at jmichaelmason@comcast.net.

Respectfully,

Mike Mason

Mayor Designate, Peachtree Corners