Vinings, Lost Mountain Cityhood Bills Move Forward

VININGS, GA — Two separate bills proposing cities of Vinings and Lost Mountain advanced to the next stage in the legislative process, just as Cobb County government officials are preparing to launch a cityhood public awareness campaign.

Deputy County Manager Jimmy Gisi mentioned the campaign at the second hearings for the cityhood proposals, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. Cobb Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid also issued a statement Thursday about the four cityhood efforts in Cobb County: Mableton, East Cobb, Vinings and Lost Mountain.

The bill proposing a city of Vinings carried on a verbal vote Wednesday, while the Lost Mountain proposal advanced in an 8-7 vote, mostly along party lines. The news comes just under a week after the state House of Representatives passed a bill proposing a city of East Cobb.

"As a former community advocate, I am not here to thwart efforts towards determining the future of one’s community. As chairwoman of the county, I am here to ensure some sense of transparency and to better educate Cobb Citizens, more broadly, about how cityhood can impact all here," Cupid said.

Related:

• Vinings Cityhood Bill Advances To Full House Committee Hearing
  
• Vinings Cityhood Considered 'Fiscally Feasible': UGA Study
• East Cobb Cityhood Bill Passes Georgia House Of Representatives

All the cityhood bills moved up the referendum timeline from November to May, to go on the ballot for the May primary elections. This shortened timeline is part of the reason for a more active approach in educating the public on the cityhood efforts, Cupid said in her statement.

"Recognizably, time is of the essence with this likely being on the ballot in May and considering how historically, there is marginal voter turnout in May primaries," Cupid said. "This means that very few can be determining the outcome for many with a significant impact on Cobb as we know it today."

Both the proposed cities of Vinings and Lost Mountain would offer code enforcement, planning and zoning, and parks and recreation. Lost Mountain would also have its own sanitation department.

Vinings would include about 7,000 residents between Interstate 285 and the Chattahoochee River, and Lost Mountain in west Cobb would include roughly 75,000 residents — which would be Cobb's most populous city.

The Lost Mountain cityhood bill could see a full House vote as early as Thursday, and Vinings is expected to be voted on next week, the Marietta Daily Journal reported. If passed, the bill would go to the full Senate for a vote.

The Mableton cityhood proposal will get its first hearing next week, the MDJ reported.