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Tucker considers annexing shopping center in proposed city of Vista Grove

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Tucker considers annexing shopping center in proposed city of Vista Grove

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The Briarcliff Village shopping center. Source: Google Street View

This story has been updated. 

Proponents of a city of Vista Grove may soon lose a piece of commercial real estate that could generate tax revenue for the proposed city.

The Tucker City Council is considering an annexation petition from the owners of the Briarcliff Village shopping center near the intersection of Henderson Mill and Briar Cliff Roads. The property owners are annexing using the “60 percent method,” meaning 60 percent of the voters residing in the proposed annexation area and 60 percent of the property owners signed the petition submitted to the city. The annexation will include nine different parcels, according to the petition.

That shopping center is in the map for the proposed city of Vista Grove. The cityhood movement is in the process of conducting a fiscal feasibility study which would determine whether the city would generate enough tax revenue to provide services. If this annexation is approved by the Tucker City Council this month, that study may have to revise some of its assumptions.

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Andrew Flake, a founding member of the Vista Grove Initiative, said he does not expect the annexation will undermine the city’s financial viability.

“Our feasibility study is going to show a potential city of Vista Grove is incredibly strong economically,” Flake said. “We have a strong existing tax base. Plus, we will have substantial [Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax] funds available for capital improvements specifically designated for a city of Vista Grove. An individual annexation is not going to make a material difference or change the overwhelming economic strength of a new city. We do, however, want to make sure that the economy and business environment in our Vista Grove footprint is so vital and exciting that businesses do not want to leave or annex into neighboring cities – and the upcoming study will show we can do just that.”

A spokesperson for the city of Tucker told Decaturish that the annexation petition for Briarcliff Village shopping center could be approved as early as Feb. 26 and the annexation would become effective March 1. The City Council is holding a special called meeting on Feb. 20 for a second reading of the annexation ordinance. That meeting starts at 3:30 p.m. and will be held at the City Hall annex, located at 4228 1st Ave, Suite 2-4 Tucker GA, 30084.

A message to one of property owners was not immediately returned.

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