Members of the Dekalb House and Senate delegations, including those who have introduced legislation to create new cities or annex new areas to existing cities, will hold a Town Hall meeting on May 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Clairmont Hills Baptist Church, 1995 Clairmont Drive, Decatur 30033 at the corner of Clairmont and North Druid Hills Road.

The meeting will provide information on the costs of planning for new cities and the resulting possible tax implications. They will discuss procedures for legislative enactment, give a summary of ongoing cityhood activities, and learn about other governance options. All Dekalb citizens are encouraged to attend and learn about the options available to them for local governance, and how you may participate in the efforts that will be ongoing this summer.

House Rules of the Georgia General Assembly require that a new city may only be created over a two year term, not in one year. Legislation, listed below by primary sponsor, was filed in the 2013 Session that ended March 28, 2013, to give an opportunity procedurally to create possible new Dekalb cities of Druid Hills, LaVista Hills, Lakeside, Stonecrest, City of Dekalb, and Tucker. Also, annexation bills are pending for Chamblee and being discussed for Decatur, and legislative limitations on annexations options have also been filed. We ask neighborhood associations or groups who are reviewing current legislation, or working for or against possible new cities to describe briefly their efforts.

The following are bills that have been introduced and may be reviewed on the General Assembly website by Bill number: 

• HB 22-Primary Sponsor Mary Margaret Oliver. HB 22 sets out additional procedures and enhanced financial requirements for creation of new cities.
• HB 619-Primary Sponsor Mary Margaret Oliver.  HB 619 passed in 2013 and allows an area in unincorporated DeKalb that adjoins Chamblee to vote to be annexed into Chamblee.
• HB 665-Primary Sponsor Mary Margaret Oliver.  HB 665 is a placemholder bill to create new city of Briarcliff/Druid Hills.
• HB 677-Primary Sponsor Billy Mitchell.  HB 677 would create a new city of Tucker.
• HB 687-Primary Sponsor Pam Stephenson.  HB 687 limits the ability to annex new areas to existing cities by geography.
• SB 270-Primary Sponsor Fran Millar.  SB 270 would create city of Lakeside. For more information on Lakeside City Alliance, click  here.
• SB 275-Primary Sponsor Jason Carter.  SB 275 would create new city of LaVista Hills.
• SB 278-Primary Sponsor Ron Ramsey.  SB 278 would create new city of Stonecrest.

Posted in Legislative Action

On Tuesday July 31, your vote will count!  Let’s send a message to DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis and the DeKalb County School Board.

The referendum will state:

“Should the local or independent school system of DeKalb County or a charter school in DeKalb County place or operate a telecommunications tower on any elementary, middle, or high school property?”

VOTE NO!

WHAT YOU CAN DO: 

1. We have to win this vote.  Start planning now — tell ten people a week from now until July 31. Everyone in DeKalb County can vote.   Make plans to remind your contact list the Monday night before the vote!  You must be registered to vote by July 2 in order to vote in the July 31 special referendum.  For more information:   http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/Voter/default.html

2. Get the vote out — mark you calendar.  Polls are open 7am to 7pm. Download to your calendar by clicking this button –> 

3.  Get a yard sign AND add on top of it our new VOTE NO JULY 31 signage.  Email us at briarcliff.heights@gmail.com with your name & address and we’ll drop a sign off.

Posted in July 31 Election, Legislative Action

Are you curious what candidates are getting money from telecom (Sprint Nextel, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile)?  Checkout federal and state spend by telecom on Georgia State and Federal candidates in this election cycle.

DONATIONS RECEIVED BY STATE CANDIDATES BY TELECOM:

Federal donations received … (more…)

Posted in July 31 Election, Legislative Action

March 29, 2012 Rep. Karla Drenner’s HB 1299 successfully passed the Georgia Senate this week.  The referendum calls for voters in the July 2012 election to vote on:

“Should the local or independent school system of DeKalb County or a charter school in DeKalb County place or operate a telecommunications tower on any elementary, middle, or high school property?”

UPDATE:  HB 1299 has been approved by the Governor and will appear on a special ballot for vote on July 31.  Read more here.

Posted in July 31 Election, Legislative Action

Our neighbors and other DeKalb County residents at the March 6 hearing on a bill to curb cell phone towers on school properties on HB 1197, being held up by the Georgia House Intragovernmental Coordination Committee. (more…)

Posted in Dangers of Cell Towers, Health Concerns, Legislative Action, News Coverage, Our Activities, Our Supporters

Tuesday, March 6 11:00 am, ROOM 515 Coverdell Legislative Office Building (CLOB) Room 515, 18 Capitol Sq SW, Atlanta, GA 30334.

See the full text of HB 1128 (Statewide) and HB 1197 (Covers Schools in DeKalb County).

Bill Would Ban Cell Phone Towers On School Property: MyFoxATLANTA.com

Posted in Health Concerns, Legislative Action, News Coverage, Our Activities, Our Supporters

Sen. Jason Carter‘s bill was submitted today and supported by the DeKalb County Delegation and Sen. Fran Millar.

(4) Butler, Gloria 55th(5) Jones, Emanuel 10th(6) Thompson, Curt 5th

See the full text of SB 498

Posted in Legislative Action, Zoning Issues

February 27, 2012: DeKalb House Delegation met today at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building — where the Environmental Committee (including Rep. Drenner) presented their findings on cell phone towers.  Rep. Drenner obtained the remaining signatures needed to support the introduction of the bill.

WSBTV Ch2 was there and reported: Renting school space for cell towers idea sparks debate

FULL TEXT HB 1128 (Statewide) and FULL TEXT HB 1197 (Covers Schools in DeKalb County).

Posted in Health Concerns, Legal Issues, Legislative Action, News Coverage

February 23, 2012:  Five representatives — both the Republican and Democrat — co-sponsored Rep. Karla Drenner’s bill today.

SUMMARY: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-600 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the leasing of public school property for private purposes authorized, so as to prohibit the leasing of certain public school property for the purpose of erecting telecommunications towers; to provide an effective date; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Full text of House Bill 1128

See also the FULL TEXT of HB 1197 (Covers Schools in DeKalb County).

Posted in Health Concerns, Legislative Action, Our Supporters

February 21, 2012:

Lawmakers today held a hearing on a proposal to ban cellphone towers from school property.    State Rep. Karla Drenner, D-Avondale Estates,  plans to introduce legislation banning construction of the towers on school property.

Over fifteen neighbors attended from our Briarcliff Heights neighborhood, as well as concerned parents from MLK, Briarlake, and GET THE CELL OUT ATL.  Dr. Drenner is well-versed in the area of radiation and its effects, understands that the lack of research today on cell tower radiation does not necessarily mean towers are safe — calling instead for precautionary measures in the placement of these towers so close to children in their developmental stages.  Rep. Drenner has four post-graduate degrees and serves on several House committees related to this issue, including Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications; Health and Human Services; Natural Resources and Environment.

Thank you to Dr. Drenner for her immediate and quick action regarding this issue, and for sponsoring a bill in the House to address the placement of cell towers on school grounds!

Rep. Karla Drenner

Posted in Health Concerns, Legislative Action, Our Supporters