Four cityhood efforts have been underway at the state capitol that include Mableton, East Cobb, Lost Mountain, and Vinings–all are within the borders of Cobb County. The bill (HB-841) that allows approximately 60,000 East Cobb residents an opportunity to vote on whether they want to become a city was passed by the Georgia House of Representatives last week and was just approved yesterday by the Senate. The question, “Shall the Act incorporating the City of East Cobb in Cobb County according to the charter contained in the Act be approved?” will be placed on the May 24 ballot.

If approved, the city of East Cobb would provide the following government services:

  • Zoning and planning
  • Code enforcement
  • Parks and recreation
  • Public Safety (Police and Fire Services)
  • Road Maintenance

Under the bill, six city council members would be elected at-large and a mayor selected by the newly elected council. There are three council districts, with each of them having two members who must reside in those districts. If the referendum passes in May, an election for these new city posts would be placed on the November ballot. A new East Cobb city could be up and running by 2023.

In response to these latest city movements, Cobb Commission Chair, Lisa Cupid, released a statement, “The impact analyses cannot be completed by the May primary, so I and staff will be much more active in assessing our impact internally and in educating citizens, both in city limits and outside, about the financial impact in Cobb. …As a former community advocate, I am not here to thwart efforts towards determining the future of one’s community. As chairwoman of the county, I am here to ensure some sense of transparency and to better educate Cobb Citizens, more broadly, about how cityhood can impact all here.  Recognizably, time is of the essence with this likely being on the ballot in May and considering how historically, there is marginal voter turnout in May primaries. This means that very few can be determining the outcome for many with a significant impact on Cobb as we know it today.”

Cobb County has created a “Cityhood Resource Center” to answer the many questions they have been receiving.  Click HERE to access that information.

You can click HERE for the official East Cobb cityhood page.

Click HERE to access the East Cobb Alliance, a group that does not want East Cobb to become a city.

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What do you think of unincorporated East Cobb becoming a city?  Share your thoughts below.