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A RESOLUTION ATLANTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has long been vitally concer ned with the orderly and intelligent growth of the City of Atlanta, recognizing full well the city 's role and responsibilities as the heart of a great and growing metropolitan area . The Board recognizes furt her that the growth and progress of the entire five-county area have been, and will be in the future, directly related to the wellbeing and continued healthy growth of the city itself. The needs of the city and of the surrounding metropolitan area -- economic, educational , cultural, recreational and others -- have been given attentive study by the Atlanta Chamber, and its utmost efforts have been devoted to insuring that those needs are met to the benefit and best possible advantage of all citizens. As with other needs and problems, the Atlanta Chamber has studied and weighed carefully the benefits inherent in the orderly extension of the city's boundaries to include as part of the city certain areas adjacent to the present boundaries, and where a substantial number of citizens already have expressed a desire for the opportunity to become part of the city . More specifically, the Atlanta Chamber has studied the feasibility of extending t he city's boundaries , provided there is a favorable expression on the part of the r esidents involved, to include some portion or all of the unincorporated area of North Fulton County known as Sandy Springs. The findings of the Board of Directors on this matter are as follows: 1. Sandy Springs is an area of some forty square miles and is primarily of r esidential development, where some 24, 000 citizens reside . A large portion of these citizens earn their livelihood at jobs within the city of Atlanta, depend on the city for many of their urban services, and avail themselves of city facilities and other advantages offered by their proximity to a metropolitan center. 2 . In spite of their contributions in other ways to the progress of the city and t heir dependence on the city for many things, the residents of Sandy Springs are unable to participate in the affairs of the city by helping to select city officials or by voting on programs undertaken by the city, around which most of their activities and interests are centered. 3. The urban services provided to the residents of Sandy Springs, rendered for the most part by t he City of Atlanta on a contract basis, are not of the same high level as similar services rendered to residents of the corporate city. Even so, some of t hese services of necessity cost more for the Sandy Springs resident than a resident of t he City of Atlanta . The City o.f Atlanta recefves no ad valorem taxes from Sandy Spr ings r esidents , or from any other residents outside present city boundaries. �- 2 - 4. Inclusion of any portion, or the entire area of Sandy Springs as part of the city would result in considerable initial expense to the city because of the necessity of improving the existing level of services to the area, particularly in the extension of sewer service to some areas and in the upgrading of fire protection and sanitation service . A substantial loss of revenue would be incurred by the city because of a subsequent reduction in water rates to these residents. The city's collections of .a d valorem taxes within the area would not be nearly adequate to offset the increased costs of providing improved urban services. 5. In addition to improved urban services, Sandy Springs residents would realize other benefits, such as the addition of kindergartens to their schools, parks and recreational facilities, and others. 6. The actual increase in cost to Sandy Springs residents for these improved services would be moderate. A higher rate of ad valorem taxes would be partly offset by reduced service charges, and further offset by a reduction in fire insurance rates, once the fire protection facilities of the area had been upgraded to the standards of the City of Atlanta. (EXAMPLE : Based on the latest information available to us today, a typical Sandy Springs single-family frame residence, with a market value of $20, 000 and located on a 100-foot lot, would cost its owner only about $38. 00 more annually, or about $3. 00 per month, if located inside the City of Atlanta. Total taxes and service charges on this home would be $64. 00 higher but fire insurance rates about $26. 00 lower.) 7. The primary benefit to the city from addition of the area would be realized not in tax dollars , but in the contributions of the Sandy Springs citizens to the growth and progress of the city by their active participation in city affairs. It is apparent to this Board that the inclusion of Sandy Springs as a part of the City of Atlanta would be of mutual benefit to the residents of Sandy Springs and the city. Although the change would be of significant cost to the city through the necessity of improved services to the area, the Board feels that this is a responsibility which the city should be willing to undertake. Therefore, the Board of Directors recommends that the residents of Sa~dy Springs be given the opportunity, in a referendum during 1966, to express their preference on whether their area should become a part of the City of Atlanta. This referendum should be duly called by legislation introduced by the Fulton County delegation to the Georgia General Assembly. The Board further strongly recommends that residents of Sandy Springs give this matter attentive thought, considering all aspects of the question, including those set out above, and that they accept the opportunity to join the City of Atlanta. This Boar d is firmly of the opinion thll.t undue delay in giving this matter thorough and complete consideration would be detrimental to the best interest of both the Sandy Springs area and the City of Atlanta . December 31, 1965 �