Politics & Government

Berkeley Lake Annexation Bill Dies in House

Controversial H.B. 956, which would have annexed some 131 properties from Peachtree Corners into the city limits of Berkeley Lake, does not pass.

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The Georgia General Assembly ended on Thursday and so did the City of Berkeley Lake's chance to annex 131 commercial properties that were slated to be part of the new city of Peachtree Corners. The bill died in the House.

The bill was introduced by State Rep. Tom Rice and State Sen. David Shafer in an effort to satisify both sides of what was building into a heated issue between the neighboring cities.

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Berkeley Lake wanted to add to its tax base and began annexing adjacent commercial properties last summer that had been designated to be a part of Peachtree Corners. Without a government in place to speak in its behalf, Peachtree Corners had no representation to answer Berkeley Lake's actions.

Berkeley Lake leaders continued their annexing efforts after the Nov. 8 referendum passed creating the new city of Peachtree Corners, and as it continued annexing properties, the tension grew between the two cities.

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H.B. 956 was intended to settle the dispute; however, it only seemed to add fuel to the fire as Peachtree Corners voters said they wanted to have a say in what properties would be annexed, and not have it settled through legislative annexation.

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