A group of Chattahoochee Hills residents did what seemed at the outset to be unlikely, even improbable. They decided two weeks ago to forego the plans of having their own city and to link up instead with the City of Palmetto. In that two weeks, organizers said they obtained the signed petitions of more than 60 percent of the registered voters and 60 percent of property owners, the requirement for obtaining annexation. City officials are currently validating the petitions so that the mayor and city council can take up the issue.

Though the 40,000-acre Chatt Hills area dwarfs Palmetto, residents believe their fate is better served as citizens of Palmetto due to recent changes in development plans for one of the areas three planned villages when Vanguard Properties sought and received annexation into Palmetto. Area residents believe a second village was all but lost after the General Assembly earlier this year included the area for the location of another village in the City of South Fulton. Though those 7,900 acres might be returned to Chatt Hills once the South Fulton is formed next year, Hill country residents maintain that such a move has no guarantee attached.

“People in our community know growth is inevitable, they know it’s coming, they don’t want to stop it. But they do want a voice at the table. They want to manage it, to preserve it,” Chatt Hills resident Rodney Peek explained. “With losing one or two of the villages we would be fractured. With one village being in Palmetto and one being in the City of South Fulton it would be very difficult to keep the original Chatt Hills plan.”

So with what they see as the handwriting on the wall, Chatt Hills residents two weeks ago began the rush to amass the blessing of the required 60 percent of registered voters and 60 percent of land owners needed to be annexed into Palmetto. And by Thursday’s deadline they succeeded, with more than 100 Hill Country residents showing up at city hall with what they said were the required number of petitions to gain entry into the city.

“I am amazed at how our community has been united together for this cause. In most communities you know your neighbors but so many times everybody is going in different directions. But with this, everyone saw the benefit and the whole community got organized and came together. I’ve never seen anything like this in my lifetime, Peek said. “It happened in two weeks. Neighbors came in and recruited helpers. They were people I didn’t even know. They just wanted to help. Younger people and older people. One older lady said she would never have thought about going into Palmetto. We talked about the pros and cons and she said she wanted to help.”

Long-time Hill Country resident Molcie Trimble did not initially support the move to join Palmetto, yet is in favor of the attempt to become one of its newest citizens. Joining many of her fellow Chatt Hills neighbors Thursday at city hall, she expressed complete support for the move to bring the Hill Country into the city limits.

“I didn't vote for it but I worked my heart out in the last 12 days. We worked day and night and I’m happy with the outcome and I support it,” Trimble said. “This will be good for the community and for Palmetto.

For Peek and others in the Hill Country, their work is done. Now they wait to hear the outcome of their efforts.

“I can’t believe what has happened. It’s exciting,” Peek said smiling. “I hope the City of Palmetto will look at what’s happening, look at us as an asset, as something that doesn’t want to take away, but as something as wants to add to the city. We just want them to preserve the overlay we’ve worked so hard for. It can be an asset to the whole community.”

The petitions are currently being validated by city staff. If found in order, the annexation request will be taken up in coming weeks by the mayor and city council.

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