Unhappy residents in the unincorporated area between Smyrna and Vinings - essentially between South Cobb Drive and Log Cabin, especially inside the perimeter: I recommend that if you are unhappy with county services then find the closest Smyrna ward council member (probably Wade Lnenicka or Ron Fennel, depending on where you live) and request annexation. Make a push in your HOAs for others to request annexation and for your HOA to push for it.
I never fail to hear about complaints of Cobb County providing inadequate services: Lack of lighting and sidewalks, inadequate police resources, lack of adequate fire coverage. I hear frustrated people that ask for the same things over and over and don't get it. The most recent was the District 2 meeting. Some residents complained about lack of services in this area. At a recent county meeting, Bob Ott talked about the possibility of putting a fire and police station in the new Braves development. That is great, but that isn't going to help you. It's too far away. I don't know much about what the government for Cobb does and doesn't do for unincorporated residents, and if the complaints are founded, since I'm a Smyrna resident. So I will focus on how I am extremely happy with Smyrna services. This is an opinion piece, and I will give my opinion.
Yes, I'm proud to be a Smyrna resident. We have a great police force. There are patrols in my neighborhood all the time. For example, one day I accidentally left my garage open late at night. A policeman actually came to the door - I happened to still be awake - and told me I should close it since there had been reports of people that don't belong here driving up and taking things from garages. I'm incredibly happy they did that. Would most police care that much?
You'll get better services. Your area is practically engulfed by Smyrna, so you are going to have good services right near by. You will have a firehouse right down the way with Smyrna, and a great police force. We have a city that is building more sidewalks. We also have an incredible trail network. We have a city that cares about lighting. We have the only public library owned by a municipality in GA. Smyrna is also a very beautiful place and becoming more so with the median work / streetscapes on Atlanta Rd and Concord Rd and the new linear park going in on Concord Rd.
We have a very active community in Smyrna. As part of Smyrna, you'll get to participate in Smyrna planning and civic activities and help shape the community. You'll have a councilman that will fight for your small area on the council, not one quarter of Cobb.
Do you like more control? Smyrna LISTENED to the majority of residents and denied the new Jonquil Village plans from 2013 which would have improved the tax base, but wasn't what residents were looking for in the area.
What are the reasons not to?
Taxes? People love low taxes and you probably already know your taxes will go up a slight bit. You get what you pay for. You aren't going to get people all over Cobb county to raise taxes just so you have better services. You have more control in a small city like Smyrna.
Wanting to be Vinings? Vinings will probably never incorporate. It's too expensive. Their HOA boundaries are set. Let me ask, even if they did extend those boundaries, does that help you on anything? Your services will be the same.
You have the Vinings zip code now (starting next year). That's really all you need. Even if you were annexed into Smyrna, you can keep it (for instance, some Smyrna residents are stuck with Mableton zips even if they want to change it). Your address would still be Atlanta, GA 30339.
Home prices or affluence? No, many of the neighboring Smyrna neighborhoods are actually bigger homes and more affluent than inside the perimeter Cobb County outside of Vinings. Much of this area of Smyrna was built in the last 10 years and homes go up into the million dollar range. Among others, there's Vinings Estates and Lois Pointe.
Schools? They will be exactly the same.
Great things are happening in Smyrna. I obviously don't need to mention Market Village and Belmont Hills, but did you know that just outside the perimeter, there's a new $300 million dollar mixed used development on the Chattahoochee River called Riverview Landing (A Jamestown community) that will be built over the next four years. It will dwarf West Village and be much more desirable. The developer annexed Riverview Landing into Smyrna for a reason. Do you want to be part of the community that this neighborhood is coming to? Do you like progressive communities that favor walkability and other new urbanism ideals?
So, we're back to taxes. If you aren't getting the services you need, what are the taxes doing for you? What is 6 mills more when you're already paying 30, if it gets you what you need? Are you willing to risk that your properties depreciate or appreciate slower than the surrounding area?
It's time for a change. Ask for annexation.
More info:
- Riverview Landing: http://www.jamestownproperties.com/Portfolio/Properties/Georgia/Riverview-Road.aspx
- Smyrna council members to request annexation: http://www.smyrnacity.com/index.aspx?page=50 (find the closest ward member here: http://www.smyrnacity.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=2014)