Fulton County Commissioners had their say on annexations of unincorporated land by south Fulton cities. The board recently adopted a resolution from Commissioner Bill Edwards saying the county will not approve any annexation proposals submitted after Sept. 30. The annexations are directly related to the passage of Senate Bill 552 earlier this year and the formation of the new City of South Fulton if approved by voters in June 2007.

Edwards said the two-part resolution clarifies what commissioners believe to be the annexation intention of Senate Bill 552 and the established time-based parameters through which a county-required sign-off on annexations could be accomplished. The resolution maintains that that time has come and gone.

“...the Board of Commissioners hereby states its policy position that the intention of Senate Bill 552 is to require that all municipal annexation end and become effective no later than October 30, 2006, so that an orderly transition period may be had between the City of South Fulton and Fulton County,” the resolution stated. “...it is the policy position of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners that municipal annexations submitted to Fulton County after September 30, 2006 are void, illegal and in violation of the spirit, intent and express language of Senate Bill 552.”

Though the majority of annexations occurred prior to Sept. 30, the resolution might have an impact on some of the current annexation efforts by Fairburn and Union City. Both city councils are expected to vote on proposed annexations in late October.

To the point on the adoption of the resolution and with little room for confusion about his position, Edwards said the county, too, had its interpretation on the intent on SB 552.

“There have been several interpretations in the bill about when the annexations cease. We tried to make it clear with this resolution what our interpretation is,” Edwards said of the county’s position on considering further annexations presented after Sept. 30. “So don’t come to us with nothing. That’s what we’re saying to you.”

In response, Fairburn City Administrator Jim Williams said the city respectfully disagrees with the commission’s interpretation of SB 552.

Acting on an interpretation of the intent of the bill that gave voters in the 80,000-acre unincorporated area of South Fulton the right to accept the charter of SB 552 and essentially accept the creation of the new city, Atlanta and cities of south Fulton began their own annexation efforts that have currently established more than 10,000 acres into their corporate boundaries. Those annexations have primarily focused on commercial and industrial property and on undeveloped property slated for business development. Those moves brought cities’ annexation efforts into contention with those wanting the new city of South Fulton because commercial and industrial annexations effectively shrink the city’ size and remove large portions of the new city’s tax base. South Fulton Concerned Citizens, Inc. are currently suing the cities in an effort to reverse all annexations approved since April.