It's Official: Kemp Signs East Cobb Cityhood Bill, Paving Way For May Referendum

EAST COBB, GA — After months of debates, meetings, information sessions and awareness efforts, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill that could create the city of East Cobb on Thursday, Kemp's communications director Katie Byrd told Patch.

Now, it's up to the roughly 60,000 eligible voters to decide if the proposed city will come to fruition in a May 24 referendum, the same day as the Georgia primaries.

You can view a map of the proposed city at eastcobbga.com.

This is the first of four cityhood bills in Cobb County that's become law this year. If all four proposed cities — East Cobb, Vinings, Lost Mountain and Mableton — are approved by the General Assembly and voters, Cobb County officials say it could hurt the county's budget by more than $45 million each year, East Cobb News reported.

The proposed city of East Cobb would have a similar geographic size as the city of Marietta at roughly 25 square miles, centered around Johnson Ferry Road. If approved by voters, the proposed city would have a population of nearly 60,000 people and become one of the three largest cities in Cobb County.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Read more:

• East Cobb Cityhood Bill Clears State Legislature, Headed To Kemp
  
• East Cobb Cityhood Bill Clears State Senate, But Returns To House
• East Cobb Cityhood Bill Passes State Senate Committee
• Vinings, Lost Mountain Cityhood Bills Pass Georgia House
• East Cobb Cityhood Referendum Could Move Up To May
• East Cobb Cityhood Bill Passes Georgia House Of Representatives
• East Cobb Cityhood Deemed 'Financially Feasible': GSU Study