Petition to Stop City of Brookhaven Grows

More than 250 signatures have been recorded on an online petition to slow down the process of the creation of the City of Brookhaven.

As of Jan. 20 at 12:15 p.m. 282 signatures were recorded.

The petition calls for the governmental affairs committee to postpone the vote on HB 636 -  the legislation introduced to create a charter for a new City of Brookhaven. 

The petition calls the effort "unthoughtful and unplanned", and accuses State Rep. Mike Jacobs, of not listening to his constituents.

Pat Thomas, a signer listed as the creator of the petition wrote, "The proposed city of Brookhaven will encompass a very large area from Perimeter Mall to I-85 including Buford Highway. The majority of residents within that area as well as residents adjacent to it are not aware of incorporation. Time is needed to inform everyone affected of all the facts and the options available to them."

Additionally, the petition alleges the following:

• HB 636 has not been properly studied.  The boundaries are not even final.  There are serious questions about the feasibility study that citizens deserve to have answered before they are expected to vote.

• There was not fair representation in creating the proposed boundary map for the city.

• Communities are being forced to be included in a city without being asked if they wanted to form a new city.

• Many neighborhoods want to annex into a different municipality, the City of Chamblee, instead of being included in a map for a new city.  The Sexton Woods neighborhood is already 1/2 in Chamblee and needs time to decide if the rest of the neighborhood wants to join, instead of being forced into Brookhaven.  This is just an example. 

• The boundaries of the proposed city included disputed commercial areas associated with other neighborhoods, when those neighborhoods were left out of the proposed city.

• There was no thought given to the effects on surrounding neighborhoods or greater DeKalb County.  Incorporation done in an unplanned manner leads to islands and boundary problems.  

• Rep. Jacobs is unwilling to slow down the incorporation process despite having been asked to do so  by his constituents, non-constituents, DeKalb County and state officials.

Many of the signers - some listed inside and outside of the boundaries of the proposed city - claim that residents feel that they have not had enough time to properly study all areas that would be affected by the cityhood.

Hilton Keith wrote in his comments that he wasn't opposed to the concept, but wanted more facts to make a decision.

"I'm not opposed to a City of Brookhaven, but I'm also not convinced. If someone can show me how another layer of government will truly benefit us, or show me how it will truly not benefit us, with facts and experience from other communities that have completed this process, then I would feel confident that my decision was based on fact rather than emotion and assumptions."

To sign or view the petition, visit the page hosted on change.org.